University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


v 


NEW  INDIAN  SKETCHES. 


BY 

REV.  P.  J.  DE  SMET,  S.J. 


NEW  YORK: 
D.  &  J.  SADLIER  &  CO.,  31  BARCLAY-ST. 

BOSTON— 128  FEDERAL-STREET. 

MONTREAL— COR.  NOTRE-DAME  AND  ST.  FRAXCIS  XAVIER  STS. 
18C3. 


C 


PREFACE. 


THE  holy  life  of  Catharine  Tehgalikwita, 
the  saintly  virgin  of  the  Mohawk,  is  well 
known ;  and  the  odor  of  her  virtues  is  still 
fresh  on  the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
where  she  edified  all  by  her  life,  and  aided  so 
many  after  her  death.  Among  the  sketches 
of  Father  De  Smet,  published  recently  in 
Belgium,  is  a  short  memoir  of  Louise  Sig- 
houin,  a  holy  woman  of  the  tribe  of  the 
Coeur-d'Alenes,  which  shows  us  another  ex 
ample  of  high  sanctity  attained  in  an  Indian 
wigwam,  and  affords  us  a  model  and  a  patron 
through  whom  we  may  piously  expect  that 
God  will  grant  favors  for  the  glory  of  his 
servant  and  the  salvation  of  souls.  The 
biography  is  one  that  cannot  fail  to  touch 

and  instruct  all. 

i* 


PREFACE. 


To  it  we  have  added  some  of  the  mon; 
recent  sketches  of  the  pious  missionary, 
whose  letters  are  always  so  much  esteemed, 
and  a  catechism  of  the  Flathead  Indians,  to 
give  some  idea  of  the  mode  of  instruction 
adopted  by  our  missionaries,  and  the  diffi 
culty  inherent  in  all  the  Indian  languages  of 
expressing  religious  thoughts.  The  illustra 
tions  in  this  work  are  from  drawings  by 
Father  Point,  whose  pencil  has  preserved  so 
many  scenes  and  characters  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  They  are  the  Baptism  of  Louise, 
and  her  venerated  Grave. 

S. 


CONTENTS. 


LIFE  OF  LOUISE  SIGHOUIN. 

PAGB 

CHAP.  I. — Childhood  and  Baptism  of  Louise 9 

CHAP.  II. — Louise's  Zeal  for  the  Conversion  of  her 

Tribe,  and  her  Struggles  with  the  Medicine-men.  18 

CHAP.  III. — Louise's  Zeal  for  the  Instruction  of  her 

Tribe 22 

CHAP.  IV. — Louise's  Charity  for  the  Sick. — Her  Pov 
erty  28 

CHAP.  V. — The  Special  Devotions  of  Louise  to  the 
Cross  of  our  Lord,  to  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  and 
to  the  Souls  in  Purgatory 34 

CHAP.  VI.— Louise's  penitential  Spirit,  her  Horror  of 

Sin,  and  Zeal  to  preserve  others  from  it 39 

CHAP.  VII. — Sickness  and  Death  of  Louise 45 

INDIAN  SKETCHES 

Letter  of  Father  Joset  to  Father  Fouillot.     The  Koet- 

enays  61 

Letter  of  Father  De  Smet,  Nov.  1,  1859.  Visit  to 

the  Rocky  Mountains  in  1858 67 

Letter  of  Father  De  Smet.  Nov.  10,  1859.  Return 

to  Oregon 86 

Letter  of  Father  De  Smet.  Dec.  1,  1861.  The  Skalzi 

Indians..  104. 


8  CONTENTS. 

PACK 

A  Vocabulary  of  the  Skalzi  or  Koetenay  Language  . .   118 

Letter  of  General  Harney.  June  1,  1859 127 

Letter  of  Father  De  Smet.  May  25,  1859.  Visit  to 

the  Tribes  in  the  Mountains 130 

Letter  of  Captain  (now  General)  Pleasanton.  June  1, 

1859 13G 

Letter  of  General  Harney.  June  3,  1859 138 

Letter  of  Father  De  Smet.  May  23,  1859 141 

The  Short  Indian  Catechism  in  use  among  the  Flat- 
heads,  Kalispels,  Pends-d'Oreilles,  and  other 
Rocky  Mountain  Indians . . . . 147 


LOUISE  SIGHOUIN, 

AN  INDIAN  WOMAN  OF  THE  CCEUR-D'ALENE 
TRIBE, 

WHO  DIED  IN  THE  ODOR  OF  SANCTITY  IN  1853. 


CHAPTER    I. 

CHILDHOOD    AND    BAPTISM    OF    LOUISE. 

LOUISE  SIGHOUIX,  of  the  tribe  of  Skizoumish  or 
Cccur-d'Alenes,  daughter  of  the  chief  of  the  tribe, 
was  endowed  with  the  noblest  qualities  of  mind  and 
heart,  which  won  her  the  esteem  and  respect  not 
only  of  all  her  nation,  but  also  of  the  neighboring 
tribes  and  of  all  whites  who  had  an  opportunity  of 
knowing  her.  A  poor  and  humble  child,  but  rich 
in  virtue  and  exalted  in  grace,  Louise  flowered  in 
the  desert  like  a  lily  amid  thorns.  She  was  an  oasis 
amid  a  sterile  waste;  she  was  a  light  amid  the 
shades  of  death.  Like  the  poor  woman  in  the  Gos 
pel,  she  had  sought  and  found  the  lost  treasure,  and 


10  LOUISE    SIGHOUIX. 

she  carefully  preserved  it  all  the  days  of  her  life  to 
her  latest  breath. 

Before  her  baptism,  even,  she  was  remarkable  for 
her  rare  modesty  and  reserve,  great  gentleness,  and 
a  solid  judgment.  Her  words  were  everywhere  lis 
tened  to  with  admiration  and  pleasure,  and  her 
company  sought  in  all  families. 

In  October,  1841,  a  new  era  was  preparing  for 
her.  In  the  course  of  the  missions  which  I  was  then 
giving  in  the  upper  parts  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
I  met  for  the  first  time  three  families  of  Cceur- 
d'Alenes,  returning  from  the  bison  hunt  on  the  plains 
of  the  upper  Missouri.  They  joined  my  little 
band,  and  we  travelled,  together.  I  found  them 
mild,  affable,  polite  in  disposition,  and  above  all 
v.ery  eager  for  the  word  of  God.  For  several  con 
secutive  days  I  conversed  with  them  on  different 
points  of  faith  and  on  the  Church.  After  an  in 
struction  on  the  importance  and  necessity  of  bap 
tism,  they  earnestly  implored  me  to  grant  that  favor 
to  three  of  their  little  children.  They  were  the  first 
fruits  of  this  tribe.  When  these  families  parted 
with  us,  all  testified  the  most  lively  gratitude  for 
what  they  had  heard  and  learned  with  happiness : 
they  assured  me  that  the  whole  tribe  would  willingly 
accept  the  beautiful  word  of  the  Great  Spirit,  which 
I  had  announced  to  them,  and  they  gave  me  a  most 
pressing  invitation  to  visit  them  at  the  earliest  mo 
ment  in  order  to  instruct  them. 


LOUISE    SIGIIOUIN.  11 

Six  months  after,  in  April,  1842,  I  proceeded  to 
their  quarters.  My  good  Cocur-d'Alenes,  who  had 
been  my  travelling  companions,  had  admirably  pre 
pared  the  way  for  my  visit,  and  infused  into  all  their 
countrymen  an  eager  desire  to  hear  the  good  tidings 
of  the  Gospel.  In  consequence  of  the  account  which 
they  gave,  the  chiefs  had  already  hastened  to  depute 
to  St.  Mary's  Mission  several  young  men,  selected 
from  the  most  intelligent,  in  order  to  ask  for  mis 
sionaries  to  instruct  them  in  the  holy  truths  of 
religion. 

The  tidings  of  my  coming  soon  spread  through 
all  the  country.  The  Indians  were  to  be  seen  flock 
ing  from  all  sides,  through  forest  and  plain,  by  the 
rivers  and  the  great  lake,  to  meet  me,  and  hear  the 
law  of  God  from  the  very  lips  of  a  Black  Gown. 
My  visit,  consequently,  had  the  most  beneficial  re- 
suits.  I  baptized  all  the  little  children  in  the  tribe 
and  a  good  number  of  adults,  who  had  hastened 
with  holy  avidity  to  come  and  receive  -the  mustard 
seed  mentioned  in  the  Gospel. 

Among  these  was  good  Louise  Sighouin.  En 
lightened  by  a  special  grace,  and  wishing  to  turn  to 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  souls  the  rank 
which  she  occupied  and  the  universal  esteem  she 
had  acquired  in  the  whole  tribe,  she  used  all  her  in 
fluence  to  induce  a  great  number  of  families  to  follow 
her  to  the  rendezvous,  which  was  the  great  Lake 
Coiur-d'Alene,  in  order  to  hear  there  the  good  and 


12  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

consoling  word  of  the  Gospel.  From  the  very  first 
she  showed  the  greatest  avidity  for  it ;  at  all  times 
was  she  most  assiduous  at  the  instructions  of  the 
missionary.  Aided  by  his  advice  and  counsels,  she 
was  seen  advancing  with  a  sure  and  rapid  step, 
zealously  and  fervently  in  the  path  that  was  later  to 
lead  her  to  Christian  perfection.  Regenerated  in 
the  holy  waters  of  baptism,  where  she  received  the 
name  of  Louise,  she  seemed  to  have  reached  the 
summit  of  her  desires,  and  to  think  only  of  wearing 
unsullied  the  white  robe  which  she  had  received,  of 
keeping  well  trimmed  on  earth  the  flaming  light 
that  she  had  held  in  her  hands,  and  of  which  from 
that  moment  she  had  seemed  to  realize  and  compre 
hend  the  sublime  significance ;  in  fine,  of  showing 
herself  faithful  and  grateful  to  God  for  the  great 
favors  which  he  had  deigned  to  grant  to  her. 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  13 


CHAPTER    II. 

LOUISK?S   ZEAL  FOR  THE    CONVERSION    OF  HER  TRIBE, 
AND    HER    STRUGGLES    WITH    THE    MEDICINE-MEN. 

SOON  after  this  she  resolved  to  devote  herself 
entirely  to  the  service  of  the  missionaries  who  had 
come  to  labor  in  the  territory  of  the  Cceur-d'  Alfines.. 
With  this  view  she  generously  renounced  her  native 
spot,  the  guidance  of  her  father,  the  society  of  her 
relatives  and  acquaintances,  to  be  with  the  mission 
aries  at  the  first,  and  then  at  the  second  mission 
station  established  in  those  countries.  "  I  will  follow 
the  Black  Gowns,"  she  often  said,  "  to  the  end  of 
the  world,  for  fear  that  death  should  surprise  and 
strike  me  far  from  them,  and  thus  deprive  me  of  the 
help  of  the  holy  sacraments,  and  the  salutary  coun 
sels  of  the  Fathers.  I  wish  to  profit  by  their  pres 
ence  and  their  instructions  to  learn  to  know  the 
Great  Spirit  well,  to  serve  him  faithfully,  and  to 
love  him  with  all  my  heart." 

This  desire,  or  rather  this  ardent  thirst  to  hear 
the  word  of  Eternal  Life,  never  for  a  moment  dimin 
ished  in  Louise.  Sooner  than  be  wanting  to  the 
fidelity  of  her  promises  and  her  pious  resolutionsr 
she  subjected  herself,  with  unlimited  confidence  in 
God  and  with  a  holy  ardor,  to  the  severest  trials 


14  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

and  greatest  sacrifices.  From  the  time  of  her  con 
version,  during  the  whole  residue  of  her  life,  she 
lived  by  choice  and  predilection  in  great  poverty 
and  in  privations  of  every  kind,  never  seeking  to 
diminish  them  by  the  assistance  of  others,  and  with 
out  ever  letting  the  slightest  murmur  escape  her. 
As  St.  Paul  lays  it  down,  she  seemed  to  profess  "  to 
know  only  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified." 

The  zeal  and  fervor  in  the  service  of  God,  which 
she  manifested  immediately  after  her  baptism,  were 
the  unfailing  tokens  of  a  predestined  soul,  filled 
with  extraordinary  gifts  from  heaven.  These  priv 
ileged  favors  were  manifested  in  all  their  light  by 
her  admirable  gentleness,  which  the  greatest  oppo 
sition  could  not  disturb,  by  her  patience  under 
every  trial,  by  her  truly  angelic  modesty,  by  her 
fervent  and  sustained  piety.  She  seemed,  as  it 
were,  absorbed  in  prayer,  and  nothing  apparently 
could  then  distract  her  thoughts.  Such  was  her 
avidity,  her  holy  ardor,  to  hear  the  Word  of  God, 
that  every  time  a  new  religious  truth  broke  in  its 
•effulgence  on  her  mind,  a  visible  joy  overspread  her 
•countenance  and  her  whole  person :  to  her  it  was 
the  precious  discovery  of  a  hidden  treasure,  a  living 
fountain  to  quench  her  thirst  of  heavenly  truths,  a 
bread  of  life  giving  her  new  vigor.  Each  time  she 
sought  to  share  her  happiness,  this  bread,  this  foun 
tain,  this  treasure,  with  all  who  were  like  her  hun- 
•gering  for  the  divine  Word. 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  15 

An  ardent  and  an  untiring  zeal  for  the  salvation 
of  souls  seemed  ever  to  occupy  her  thoughts.  She 
employed  all  her  leisure  moments  in  the  conversion 
and  instruction  of  numerous  pagans  in  her  village. 
Neither  the  opposition  which  she  encountered,  nor 
the  obstacles  which  she  met,  nor  the  insults  which 
she  received,  nor  the  dangers  to  which  she  exposed 
herself,  naught  could  divert  her  from  the  holy  work 
which  she  had  resolved  to  accomplish.  Thus  each 
day  was  marked  by  some  new  triumph,  by  some 
new  increase  of  the  number  of  the  children  of  God 
or  of  the  catechumens. 

Louise  boldly  attacked  face  to  face,  the  most 
formidable  and  dangerous  adversaries  of  religion : 
the  ministers  of  Satan  himself,  the  sorcerers  or  jug 
glers,  commonly  called  among  the  Indians  medicine 
men,  who  by  their  impostures  and  diabolical  arts, 
always  impose  on  the  simple  and  ignorant.  They 
are  the  most  deadly  enemies  whom  the  missionaries 
encounter,  and  must  ever  combat  in  the  bosom  of 
the  Indian  tribes.  They  never  cease  by  tricks  and 
calumnies  and  lies  to  throw  obstacles  in  the  way  of 
the  missionary  and  fetter  the  progress  of  religion. 
The  presence  of  the  priest  is  the  more  odious  to 
them  as  they  know  that  their  private  interest,  their 
wealth,  is  at  stake,  and  that  their  illicit  gains  will 
vanish  and  cease  on  the  manifestation  of  religious 
truths.  Inde  irce  !  Hence,  their  hatred  and  resent 
ment;  hence,  too,  the  incessant  war  they  wage  on 


16  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

the  ministers  of  the  true  faith,  and  the  persecutions 
they  incessantly  excite  against  them,  -whenever  they 
can  exercise  sufficient  influence  over  their  adherents. 
And  on  what  a  people  did  they  exercise  their  influ 
ence,  before  the  arrival  of  our  missionaries  in  their 
country ! 

Father  Point,  a  missionary  among  the  Cceur- 
d'Ale"nes  from  1842  to  1846,  wrote  of  them  as  fol 
lows,  in  a  letter  printed  in  1848.  These  details 
prove  the  civilizing  tendency  and  power  of  reli 
gion. 

"  Not  a  quarter  of  a  century  since,  the  Coeur- 
d'Alenes  were  so  hard-hearted,  that  to  paint  them  to 
the  life,  the  common  sense  of  their  first  visitors 
found  no  expression  more  just  than  the  singular 
name  which  they  still  bear ;  minds  so  limited,  that 
while  rendering  divine  worship  to  all  the  animals 
that  they  knew,  they  had  no  idea  of  the  true  God, 
nor  of  their  soul,  nor  consequently  of  a  future  life; 
in  fine,  a  race  of  men  so  degraded,  that  of  the  nat 
ural  law,  there  survived  among  them  only  two  or 
three  very  obscure  notions,  which  few,  very  few  at 
tempted  to  reduce  to  practice.  Yet  it  must  be  said 
to  the  credit  of  the  tribe,  that  there  were  always  in 
their  midst  elect  souls,  who  never  bent  the  knee  to 
Baal.  I  know  some,  who  from  the  very  day  when 
the  true  God  was  preached  to  them,  never  had  to 
reproach  themselves  with  the  shadow  of  an  infi 
delity." 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  17 

Among  these  the  most  remarkable  was  our  hero 
ine,  Louise.  Rising-  above  all  human  respect,  she 
always  followed  the  ad.vice  of  the  missionary.  As 
long  as  the  wily  medicine-men  existed,  she  untiringly 
opposed  and  exposed  them.  She  boldly  entered 
their  lodges,  and  with  or  without  their  leave,  spoke 
to  them  of  the  great  truths  of  religion,  alone  true 
and  divine,  exhorting  them  to  follow  it,  in  order  to 
avoid  the  terrible  judgments  of  God,  hell  with  its 
frio-htful  torments.  She  did  this  with  such  ener- 

«^ 

getic  fortitude,  and  such  .peremptory  arguments, 
that  their  obstinacy  was  shaken  and  their  obduracy 
softened. 

Endowed  with  a  heart  and  a  courage  above  her 
sex,  Louise  feared  neither  the  sneers  nor  the  threats 
of  these  deceitful  and  embittered  charlatans.  Ac 
cordingly,  ^he  Almighty  blessed  the  efforts  of  this 
"  valiant  woman"  of  the  wilderness,  and  always 
crowned  them  with  such  extraordinary  success,  that 
in  a  short  time  the  medicine-men  and  their  silly 
juggleries  fell  into  complete  contempt,  i  In  fine," 
wrote  Father  Point  again,  "from  Christmas  to  Can 
dlemas,  the  missionary's  fire  was  kept  up  with  all 
that  remained  of  the  ancient  "  medicine."  It  was  a 
beautiful  sight  to  behold  the  principal  supporters  of 
it,  with  their  own  hands  destroy  the  wretched  in-/ 
struments  which  hell  had  employed,  to  deceive  their 
ignorance  or  give  credit  to  their  impostures.  And 
in  the  long  winter  evenings,  how  many  birds' 

2* 


18  LOUISE    SIGIIOUIN. 

feathers,  wolves'  tails,  feet  of  hinds,  hoofs  of  deers,  bits 
of  cloth,  wooden  images,  and  other  superstitious 
objects  were  sacrificed ! 

Among  Louise's  chief  conquests,  they  especially 
mention  the  conversion  of  Natatken,  one  of  the 
principal  leaders  of  the  idolatrous  sect.  He  resisted 
stubbornly ;  but  at  last,  touched  by  the  good  exam 
ple  of  all  the  converts,  and  above  all,  by  the  exem 
plary  life  of  Louise's  family,  with  which  he  was 
connected  by  blood,  he  yielded  to  the  earnest 
exhortations,  the  sweet  and  persuasive  words  of  the 
young  girl,  and  opening  his  heart  to  the  grace  of 
•our  Lord  after  having  been  long  a  rebel,  he  came 
like  a  timid  lamb  to  the  humble  fold  of  the  Good 
Shepherd.  Louise  devoted  herself  with  the  utmost 
care  to  the  instruction  of  the  new  catechumen,  and 
formed  him  to  a  kind  of  apostolic  work  in  his  tribe. 
Till  then  a  great  master  of  Indian  sorcery,  he  lis 
tened  to  and  followed  her  wise  counsels  and  instruc 
tions  with  the  docility  of  a  child ;  and  after  all  the 
necessary  trials,  Louise  led  him,  humble  and  con 
trite,  with  his  wife  and  children,  to  the  feet  of  the 
priest,  to  receive  the  sacrament  of  regeneration. 
Natatken  received  the  name  of  Isidore.  He  soon 
became  very  zealous  and  very  fervent.  Endowed 
with  native  eloquence,  he  unceasingly  exhorted  his 
•companions  to  convert  and  persevere  in  the  faith, 
.and  in  the  holy  practices  which  religion  imposes  on 
.her  children.  He  gave  the  example  himself.  He 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  19 

remained  faithful  to  the  grace  of  the  Lord  till  his 
death,  which  was  as  edifying  as  consoling. 

Ernotestsulem,  one  of  the  great  chiefs  of  the  tribe, 
after  having  been  baptized  under  the  name  of  Peter 
Ignatius,  had  unfortunately  relapsed  into  gambling, 
the  ordinary  forerunner  of  apostasy  among  the 
Indians.  As  soon  as  Louise  heard  this  sad  news, 
although  she  was  at  a  distance  of  two  days'  march, 
she  resolved  to  go  to  his  town  and  find  him  so  as 
to  endeavor  to  bring  him  back  to  his  duties.  She 
set  before  his  eyes  the  scandal  which  his  conduct 
occasioned  in  the  tribe,  the  injustice  of  his  course, 
and  the. danger  to  which  he  exposed  his  faith.  She 
spoke  to  Lira  with  energy.  Such  was  the  authority 
that  Louise  had  acquired  by  her  great  charity  and 
exemplary  life,  such  was  the  respect  which  she 
commanded  from  all,  that  the  great  chief  hearkened 
to  her  with  the  submission  of  a  child,  and  went  to 
cast  himself  at  the  feet  of  the  priest  in  the  tribunal 
of  penance,  to  repair  the  scandal  and  be  reconciled 
to  God. 

These  two  incidents,  the  conversion  of  Natatken 
and  that  of  Ernotestsulem,  will  surprise  all  who 
know  how  reluctant  the  Indians,  and  especially 
their  chiefs,  are  to  receive  correction,  especially 
when  it  is  administered  by  a  woman. 

Let  us  say  a  few  words  of  the  famous  sect  of 
jugglers  or  sorcerers,  whom  our  modern  spiritualists 
have  begun  to  style  mediums.  This  sect  is  spread 


20  LOUISE    KIGHOUIX. 

over  all  the  Indian  tribes  of  both  Americas,  from 
the  Esquimaux,  who  inhabit  the  Arctic  regions,  to 
the  extremity  of  Patagonia. 

All  historians  agree  in  saying,  that  the  most  per 
verse  and  wicked  men  in  all  the  tribes  are  the  med 
icine-men.  Before  their  conversion  to  the  faith,  as 
well  as  everywhere  else  among  the  Indian  tribes, 
each  Coeur-d'Alene  had  his  manitou  (tutelary  spirit 
or  divinity).  To  this  manitou  the  Indian  addresses 
his  prayer  or  supplication,  and  offers  his  sacrifices, 
when  he  is  in  any  danger,  sets  out  for  war,  or  goes 
fishing  or  hunting,  as  well  as  in  every  other  enter 
prise  in  which  he  is  about  to  engage,  in  order  to 
obtain  success  or  some  extraordinary  favor.  He 
believes  that  he  can  ask  every  thing  of  his  manitou, 
reasonable  or  unreasonable,  good  or  bad.  To  obtain 
favors,  he  must  be  able  to  handle  the  bow  and 
arrow,  and  although  initiation  to  the  manitou  is 
considered  as  the  most  important  act  of  life,  the 
adept  is  required  to  submit  to  ceremonies  and  prac 
tices  which  are  generally  very  difficult  and  often 
very  painful.  The  young  man  after  making  pro 
found  incisions  on  the  fleshy  parts  of  the  body,  or 
after  a  rigorous  fast,  is  supposed  to  discover  in  his 
dreams  the  form  or  resemblance  under  which  the 
manitou  manifests  himself.  During  his  whole  life 
he  is  bound  to  bear  the  image  or  a  mark  of  it ;  and 
on  all  occasions  he  must  present  his  offerings  and 
address  his  prayers  to  him.  His  talisman  is  the 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  21 

feather  or  beak  of  a  bird,  the  claw  or  tooth  of  an 
animal,  a  root,  a  herb,  a  fruit,  a  scale,  a  stone,  no 
matter  what.  He  believes  that  this  tutelary  spirit 
will  protect  him  against  the  evil  genii,  who  to  injure 
the  children  of  earth  excite  the  winds  and  waves, 
lightning,  thunder,  and  storm.  This  spirit  protects 
him  against  the  attacks  of  his  enemies,  and  wild 
beasts,  and  in  all  diseases  that  come  upon  him. 

If  I  mention  these  dangerous  and  diabolical  su 
perstitions,  so  profoundly  rooted  in  the  mind  of  the 
Indian,  it  is  to  display  more  clearly  the  courage, 
firmness,  patience,  and  perseverance  which  Louise 
must  have  had  to  oppose  them  successfully  and 
even  overcome  them.  Louise  prepared  herself  for 
the  struggle  by  long  prayers  and  frequent  fasts,  and 
fortified  herself  by  her  humility,  by  her  fidelity  to 
the  grace  of  our  Lord,  who  made  use  of  her  as  a 
chosen  instrument  to  crush  the  monstrous  serpent 
beneath  her  feet,  and  expel  him  from  her  tribe. 
Nevertheless,  the  devil  never  sleeps,  he  is  always 
sowing  tares  in  the  good  field,  as  Holy  Scripture 
tells  us,  he  "goeth  about  like  a  roaring  lion,  seek 
ing  whom  he  may  devour."  We  must  always  fly 
to  the  "  Watch  and  pray,"  for  we  perceive  always 
that  some  trace  of  the  old  leaven  remains. 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 


CHAPTER    III. 

LOUISE'S    ZEAL  FOR    THE    INSTRUCTION    OF  HER  TRIBE. 

As  I  have  already  remarked,  Louise  manifested 
an  ardent  desire  and  an  active  perseverance  in  in 
structing  herself  in  all  that  pertained  to  the  word 
of  God  and  the  holy  practices  of  religion.  She 
sought  in  the  first  place  to  enrich  her  fair  sonl  with 
heavenly  truths,  and  then  with  admirable  zeal  and 
charity  she  endeavored  to  relieve  the  missionary  in 
his  laborious  toils  and  the  continual  fatigue  he 

O 

encountered,  especially  in  instructing  old  people 
and  children.  Entirely  wrapped  up  in  her  noble 
calling,  she  would  go  several  times  in  the  day  to 
the  priest,  to  set  forth  her  doubts  and  ask  an  expla 
nation  of  them,  and  light  on  some  points  either  in 
the  prayers  or  in  the  catechism,  which  she  wished 
to  fathom  more  deeply. 

This  constant  assiduity  and  application  to  the 
study  of  heavenly  things,*soon  rendered  her  capable 
of  being  the  head  teacher  oi*  the  catechism,  and 
enabled  her  to  instruct  the  underteachers  with 
great  fruit.  At  every  explanation  and  development 
which  she  received  from  the  missionary,  she  would 
say  ingenuously,  "  I  thank  the  Great  Spirit  for  the 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  23 

beautiful  alms  which  he  has  deigned  to  bestow  on 
me,"  and  she  felt  herself  bound  to  impart  her  knowl 
edge  to  all  the  catechumens,  to  make  them  par 
takers  in  her  happiness.  She  set  the  example  to 
those  good  mothers,  of  whom  Father  Point  speaks 
in  his  letter,  who,  not  satisfied  with  giving  their 
children  the  food  which  they  refused  themselves, 
spent  long  evenings  in  breaking,  not  only  to  parents 
and  friends,  but  also  to  strangers,  eager  to  hear 
them,  the  bread  of  the  divine  word,  gathered  by 
them  during  the  day.  The  missionary,  sometimes 
present  at  the  pious  meetings  of  these  good  women, 
admired  the  spirit  of  God  which  animated  them, 
and  applied  to  them  the  promise  of  the  prophet, 
"  The  Lord  shall  give  the  Word  to  them  that 
preach  good  tidings  with  great  power." — Ps.  Ixvii. 
12.  The  patience  and  constancy  which  Louise  dis 
played  in  the  office  of  catcchist,  deserve  the  highest 
eulogy  ;  the  salvation  of  souls  was  a  work  of  predi 
lection  to  her;  the  hours  of  the  day  seemed  too 
short  to  satisfy  her  zeal,  and  she  often  consumed  a 
good  part  of  the  night  instructing  her  neighbor. 

Amid  all  her  occupations  and  exertions  for  the 
good  of  others,  Louise  never  neglected  the  care  and 
ordering  of  her  own  .house.  Her  prayers,  her  good 
works,  her  words,  and  her  good  example  had  drawn 
down  the  blessings  of  heaven  on  her  poor  and  hum 
ble  abode,  and  this  model  cabin,  great  by  the  vir 
tues  which  it  enshrined,  shone  with  radiance  amid 


24  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

all  the  other  Indian  lodges.  Louise  had  compre 
hended  art  once  and  fully  the  whole  extent  of  the 
duties  of  a  good  wife  and  mother,  duties  till  then 
almost  unknown  to  the  Indians,  among  whom, 
from  the  moment  of  leaving  childhood,  each  one 
becomes  absolute  master  of  himself  and  his  actions. 
By  her  conduct  beyond  reproach,  by  her  motherly 
vigilance  over  the  behavior  of  her  children,  by  the 
simple  and  persuasive  gentleness  with  which  she 
treated  them  on  all  occasions,  Louise  had  inspired 
them  with  the  most  profound  respect  and  entire 
confidence,  and  had  so  closely  bound  to  her  their 
tender  hearts,  that  a  desire  manifested,  or  a  single 
word  from  the  lips  of  their  good  mother,  was  an 
absolute  order,  a  law  for  them,  which  they  accom 
plished  in  all  its  requirements  with  eagerness  and  joy. 
Louise  attended  the  divine  offices  with  the  great 
est  exactness.  Although  in  delicate  health  and 
often  sick,  she  never  failed  to  be  present  at  all  the 
religious  ceremonies  in  use  in  the  Church ;  she 
attended  Mass,  morning  and  evening  prayers,  the 
expositions  and  benedictions  of  the  Blessed  Sacra 
ment,  and  all  the  other  practices  of  devotion.  Her 
modesty,  her  recollectedness,  and  her  fervent  prayers, 
always  served  as  an  edifying  example  to  all  present. 
She  seemed  at  the  summit  of  her  happiness  and  joy, 
every  time  that  she  was  permitted  to  approach  the 
holy  table ;  her  preparation  and  thanksgiving  often 
took  whole  days. 


LOUISE    SIGIIOUIN.  25 

In  catechising  and  in  church  Louise  fulfilled  all 
the  duties  of  parents  to  their  children.  Sitting  in 
their  midst,  she  watched  over  their  conduct  and 
their  innocent  bearing.  Rarely  was  she  severe ; 
when  there  was  any  thing  to  reprehend,  the  correc 
tion  was  always  made  with  a  mother's  tenderness 
and  goodness,  which  won  her  the  hearts  not  only 
of  the  children  but  also  of  their  parents.  She  mer 
ited  and  received  from  all  the  tribe  the  beautiful 
name  of  good  grandmother.  Her  counsels  and  cor 
rections  were  always  and  by  all  received  with 
respect,  submission,  and  gratitude ;  and  the  happy 
results  were  seen  in  a  complete  and  blessed  change 
of  the  whole  tribe,  thus  augmenting  joy  and  happi 
ness  in  all  hearts. 

Louise,  although  the  best  instructed  in  the  truths 
of  religion,  nevertheless  came  regularly  to  attend 
the  catechetical  instructions  which  the  missionary 
was  accustomed  to  give  the  children  daily.  She 
could  be  seen  sitting  or  standing  outside  the  half- 
opened  door,  regardless  of  the  weather,  heat  or  cold, 
rain  or  snow.  She  wished  to  gather  all  the  impor 
tant  points  of  each  instruction  for  her  own  spiritual 
good  and  that  of  others. 

"When  there  was  question  of  admitting  an  old 
man,  a  boy  or  girl  to  partake  of  the  Sacraments,  she 
prepared  and  instructed  them  for  several  days  in  her 
lodge,  impressing  them  with  the  high  importance 
of  the  grace  which  they  were  going  to  receive,  and 


26  LOUISE    SIGHOUIX. 

the  happiness  which  they  were  going  to  enjoy. 
She  then  aided  them  with  the  greatest  care  to 
examine  their  conscience.  And  that  nothing  should 
be  lacking  in  the  preparation,  she  took  them  one  by 
one  to  the  tribunal  of  penance,  telling  them : 

"  Here  kneel  at  the  feet  of  the  Father,  who 

has  the  power  to  reconcile  you  to  the  Great  Spirit. 
Say  the  Confiteor  with  a  great  sorrow  for  your 
offences.  Confess  your  sins  with  profound  humility." 
She  would  then  withdraw  to  a  short  distance  to 
wait  for  them,  and  then  lead  them  to  the  foot  of  the 
altar  to  receive  the  spotless  Lamb,  and  be  nourished 
with  the  bread  of  angels.  Louise  did  not  leave 
them  till  they  had  finished  their  thanksgiving.  She 
wished  to  supply  in  some  sort  the  lack  of  memory 
or  capacity,  when  the  parties  seemed  to  need  it. 
For  fear  of  being  guilty  of  any  grave  omission,  the 
chiefs  themselves,  and  many  of  the  most  esteemed 
men  in  the  nation,  went  regularly  to  have  her 
assistance  in  preparing  for  a  worthy  reception  of 
the  Blessed  Sacrament. 

Among  other  pious  practices  introduced  by  Louise 
in  the  mission,  we  are  indebted  to  her  for  the  follow 
ing.  On  solemn  days,  the  night  previous  to  the 
general  communion,  hymns  are  sung  alternately, 
sometimes  in  one  lodge  and  sometimes  in  another, 
with  charming  harmony.  These  pious  canticles 
have  reference  to  the  approaching  day,  which  they 
are  preparing  to  celebrate  worthily.  On  the  eve  of 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  27 

the  communion,  the  Indians  arrange  their  exterior, 
and  for  most  this  is  no  small  affair.  They  wash, 
clean,  and  mend  the  clothes  or  rags  which  scarcely 
cover  them ;  they  go  and  bathe  in  a  retired  part  of 
the  river,  even  on  Christmas  Eve  and  when  the 
water  is  freezing.  Each  one  keeps  in  his  leather 
bag,  which  serves  as  a  wardrobe  (for  they  have  no 
chests  or  drawers),  a  piece  of  linen  or  white  cotton, 
or  a  colored  handkerchief;  the  women  and  girls 
wear  them  as  a  veil,  the  men  as  a  cravat.  Their 
toilet  as  you  see  is  very  simple  and  very  poor ;  but 
each  does  his  best,  even  outwardly,  to  come  worthily 
and  with  respect  to  the  table  of  the  Lord. 


28  LOUISE    SIGIIOUIN. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


AMONG  all  the  virtues  which  distinguished  Louise, 
and  which  she  cherished  and  practised  with  so  much 
zeal  and  ardor,  shone  forth  especially  her  Christian 
charity  to  the  sick  and  dying.  Father  Gazzoli,  who 
has  for  many  years  directed  that  mission,  assured  me 
that  during  Louise's  life,  he  never  went  to  the  bed 
side  of  a  sick  or  dying  person,  without  there  meeting 
the  Indian  ''Good  Samaritan."  She  devoted  herself 
to  the  continual  service  of  the  sick,  and  tended  them 
with  as  much  care,  patience,  and  interest,  as  she 
could  have  bestowed  on  her  own  children  and 
parents.  While  relieving  their  bodies  with  admira 
ble  and  truly  maternal  charity,  she  never  failed  to 
think  of  their  soul,  and  devoted  herself  with  still 
greater  zeal  and  fervor  t(3  heal  its  wounds,  especially 
when  ,the  state  of  the  patient's  conscience  seemed 
most  to  require  it.  She  suggested  pious  thoughts, 
and  recited  with  them  acts  of  faith,  hope,  chanty, 
contrition,  resignation,  and  submission  to  the  holy 
will  of  our  Lord ;  she  constantly  exhorted  them 
to  have  patience  in  their  painful  trials,  in  imitation 
of  our  Lord,  who  died  on  the  cross  to  save  us ;  in 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIX.  29 

one  word  she  faithfully  served  her  God  in  the  per 
son  of  her  neighbor,  conformable  to  these  words  of 
the  Gospel :  "  Amen,  I  say  to  you,  as  long  as  you 
did  it  to  one  of  these,  my  least  brethren,  you  did  it 
to  me." — Matt.  xxv.  40.  With  no  other  recom 
pense  than  what  she  expected  from  her  divine 
Master,  she  fulfilled  all  the  duties  of  an  excellent 
nurse.  This  service  she  performed  with  as  much 
exactness  and  devotedness,  as  an  exemplary  Sister 
of  Mercy  or  Daughter  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul  could 
have  shown.  On  many  occasions  when  she  wished 
to  exercise  her  voluntary  mission  of  charity,  she  had 
to  consent  to  great  sacrifices,  and  almost  heroic 
efforts  over  herself,  to  overcome  her  natural  repug 
nance.  Father  Gazzoli  relates  that  one  day,  accord 
ing  to  his  custom  in  certain  circumstances,  he  in 
vited  Louise  to  accompany  him  to  a  patient,  to  aid 
him  in  the  care  which  a  most  loathsome  sore  re 
quired.  Such  was  the  sight  of  the  corrupt  mass, 
that  for  the  first  time  the  repugnance  of  the  cour 
ageous  woman  overcame  her ;  she  durst  not  touch 
it  or  do  the  least  to  dress  it.  The  missionary  per 
ceived  it,  and  opened  the  abscess  himself.  Some 
moments  after,  Louise  expressed  the  most  lively 
regret  at  having  yielded  to  her  feelings,  and  told 
him  with  humility  and  respect :  "  I  am  greatly 
ashamed,  Father ;  my  weakness  got  the  better  of 
me.  I  admire  your  charity.  I  lacked  courage  to 
imitate  it."  She  atoned  for  what  she  had  reproached 

3* 


30  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

herself  with  as  a  fault,  and  immediately  began  to 
imrse  the  sick  man,  and  dressed  his  sore  with  the 
greatest  assiduity  for  about  two  months,  till  he  re 
covered.  It  was  the 'first  time,  added  Father  Gaz- 
zoli,  that  good  Sighouin  shrunk  from  a  charitable 
desire  which  he  expressed,  and  it  was  the  last.  In 
the  sequel  and  down  to  her  death,  under  every 
circumstance,  she  continued  to  fulfil,  with  prompt 
ness  and  fidelity,  the  requests  made  by  her  pious 
director,  and  made  by  him  to  offer  her  occasions  of 
victory  and  merit  before  God.  She  had  completely 
triumphed  over  herself,  and  in  her  humble  constan 
cy  at  the  bedside  of  the  sick,  the  most  loathsome 
cases  seemed  to  her  the  most  agreeable  and  at 
tractive. 

Amid  Louise's  noble  acts  of  charity  and  patience, 
may  be  cited  the  care  she  took  for  several  years  of 
a  poor  child  on  whom  all  human  miseries  of  mind 
and  body  seemed  to  accumulate.  An  orphan,  des 
titute  of  every  thing,  crippled,  blind,  and  what  is 
worse,  stubborn  and  ungovernable,  such  was  Louise's 
adoptive  child.  Such  a  child  was  doubtless  a  rich 
windi'all  to  exercise  a  saint.  One  day  she  told  the 
missionary  that  she  could  not  manage  Ignatius 
(that  was  the  orphan's  name),  and  that  he  would 
not  mind  her  in  the  least.  The  Father  who  sup 
plied  his  food  and  clothing,  thought  that  by  threat 
ening  to  make  him  fast,  he  might  be  reduced  to 
submission ;  but  when  it  was  tried,  Ignatius  rolled 


LOUfSE    SIGHOUIN.  31 

up  his  shirt-sleeve,  and  showing  his  arm,  said : 
"  Look  there,  I  am  fat.  I  can  fast."  He  was  then 
eleven  or  twelve  years  old.  Such  was  the  disposi 
tion  of  the  child  on  whom  Louise  lavished  the 
care  of  a  tender  mother  for  several  years,  till  God 
recalled  the  poor  boy  from  this  world. 

Louise  had  a  niece  named  Agatha,  the  only 
daughter  of  one  of  her  sisters.  She  was,  and  justly 
so,  her  child  of  predilection.  Pious,  and  ever  at 
tentive  to  her  aunt's  good  advice  and  wise  lessons, 
Agatha  verified  her  name  by  her  exemplary  con 
duct,  and  by  her  example  amid  her  young  compan 
ions.  She  was  well  instructed  in  her  catechism, 
and  was  preparing  for  her  first  communion ;  she 
had  already  presented  herself  at  the  tribunal  of 
penance  to  make  a  good  confession,  when  an  attack 
of  apoplexy  deprived  her  of  speech.  She  survived 
only  one  day,  suffering  greatly,  but  with  admirable 
patience.  Her  death  was  a  severe  and  painful  trial 
to  the  heart  of  Louise,  who  long  after  still  kept  her 
loss  fresh  in  her  mind,  yet  she  submitted  perfectly 
to  the  divine  will,  and  convinced  that  her  niece  had 
gone  to  a  better  world,  she  overcame  her  grief,  and 
shed  not  a  tear ;  on  the  contrary,  she  never  ceased 
thanking  the  Almighty  for  the  favor  he  had  be 
stowed  upon  Agatha,  by  snatching  her  away  from  the 
dangers  of  earth  to  set  her  in  his  heavenly  mansion. 

Louise  lived  in  great  poverty ;  yet  the  slightest 
murmur  never  escaped  her  to  show  her  wants  or  her 


32  LOUISE    SIGIIOUIN. 

suffering.  When  the  missionary  was  able  to  give 
her  any  charity,  he  had  first  to  ask  her  whether  she 
was  not  in  some  need,  either  of  food  or  clothing. 
She  regarded  as  nothing  the  privations  and  volun 
tary  poverty  which  she  imposed  on  herself  through 
love  for  her  divine  Lord,  and  for  her  neighbor. 
Her  lodge,  formed  of  flag-mats,  stood  beside  the 
house  of  prayer,  or  church,  and  near  the  poor  cabin 
of  the  missionaries.  There  in  happiness  and  con 
tentment  Louise  found  all  her  treasure,  all  her  joy, 
and  the  complete  fulfilment  of  her  pious  desire. 
There  she  unceasingly  contemplated  the  home  of 
eternal  rest,  which  the  Lord  has  prepared  for  his 
elect  in  heaven,  and  to  which  he  alludes  in  the 
words  :  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world." — John, 
xviii.  36.  Those  which  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles 
add :  "  In  very  deed,  I  perceive  that  God  is  not  a 
respecter  of  persons.  But  in  every  nature,  he  that 
feareth  him,  and  worketh  justice  is  acceptable  to 
him"  (Acts,  x.  34),  seemed  perfectly  realized  in 
poor  Louise.  From  her  conversion  she  faithfully 
followed  the  career  which  Providence  had  traced 
for  her.  Poverty  with  zeal  and  charity  were  her 
joy.  Amid  the  poor  of  her  tribe  she  may  be  said 
to  have  been  the  poorest,  and  always  blessed  God 
for  her  lot.  Thus  it  is,  that  as  we  read  in  St. 
Mark,  the  "  last  shall '  be  first."  Sighouin  fully 
comprehended  this  maxim,  and  she  is  at  once  a 
striking  and  consoling  example  of  it.  How  glorious 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  83 

and  beautiful  is  the  society  of  fervent  Christians,  in 
all  ranks  and  conditions  of  life !  By  its  heavenly 
doctrines,  benevolence  admirably  tempers  authority ; 
justice  and  charity  reign  in  all  hearts;  the  great 
humbles  himself  without  derogating  from  his  dig 
nity,  and  the  poor,  the  lowly,  even  the  poor  Indian 
woman,  not  only  does  not  fall  into  contempt,  but  is 
elevated  by  the  consideration  of  a  common  origin, 
the  hope  of  a  common  end,  and  the  distribution  of 
the  same  means;  in  the  sight  of  heaven  all  are 
equal,  for  all  are  children  of  one  same  Father,  and 
called,  though  in  different  ways,  to  the  possession 
of  a  common  heritage. 

Behold,  then,  the  humble  Louise,  a  poor  Indian 
woman,  an  obedient,'  charitable,  and  submissive 
Christian.  Zeal  for  souls,  zeal  for  the  house  of  God 
devours  her.  Endowed  with  heroic  constancy  and 
courage,  she  surmounts  all  obstacles  that  oppose  her 
generous  designs.  Where  does  she  find  her  cour 
age,  her  strength,  her  consolation,  her  happiness,  if 
not  in  the  love  of  her  God,  in  an  entire  confidence 
in  him,  and  a  holy  indifference  in  regard  to  all 
else  ?  All  her  actions  seem  to  express  constantly 
these  words :  "  God  alone  for  me !  .  .  .  God  alone 
to-day  and  forever !  .  . .  God  alone  for  all  eternity !" 
She  devoted  herself  entirely  to  the  cause  of  God ; 
her  labors,  her  troubles,  her  pain,  will  receive  their 
reward.  "  She  hath  chosen  the  better  part,  which 
fchall  not  be  taken  away  from  her." — Luke  x.  42. 


S4  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 


CHAPTER    V. 

THE  SPECIAL  DEVOTION  OF  LOUISE  TO  THE  CROSS 
OF  OUH  LORD,  TO  THE  BLESSED  SACRAMENT,  AND 
TO  THE  SOULS  IN  PURGATORY. 

LOUISE  always  manifested  a  great  devotion  to  the 
Holy  Cross.  In  the  sowing  season,  in  order  to 
draw  down  God's  blessing  on  the  crop,  she  each 
year  presented  to  her  spiritual  director  the  seed- 
corn,  to  ask  him  to  bless  it.  She  then  went  through 
the  great  harvest  field  and  the  fields  of  the  Indians, 
digging  up  a  little  piece  of  ground  in  the  shape  of 
a  cross  to  plant  her  grain  in.  During  the  whole 
time  that  she  maintained  this  practice,  it  was  every 
year  observed,  that  the  crop  was  very  abundant,  and 
very  fine,  even  when  the  neighbors  all  around  lost 
their  grain.  She  had  learned  that  heaven  and 
earth  had  been  disunited,  and  that  the  Cross  had 
reconciled  them  ;  that  no  one  can  enter  into  heaven 
except  by  the  way  of  the  Cross.  She  sowed  her 
grain  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  having  implicit  confi 
dence  that  our  Lord,  who  died  on  the  cross,  would 
fructify  it.  The  Cross  was  her  refuge  on  earth  ;  it 
was  her  strength  and  consolation  till  death.  We 
may  here  repeat  those  beautiful  words  of  the  vener 
able  Bishop  Challoner :  *•  Jesus  is  delivered  into  the 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  35 

hands  of  his  executioners ;  his  suffering,  his  igno 
miny  begins ;  he  dies  on  an  infamous  gibbet ;  and 
he  is  no  sooner  lifted  up,  than  he  draws  all  things  to 
him.  The  Cross  dispels  the  darkness  that  covered 
the  face  of  the  earth  :  it  unveils  the  great  mystery 
of  life  and  death,  of  God,  of  our  duties  and  our  eter 
nal  destiny  ;  in^a  word,  in  all  that  till  then  had  been 
hidden  from  the  wisest  of  pagan  antiquity.  The  Cross 
teaches  us  to  suffer  for  the  cause  of  justice,  to  bear 
wrongs  for  the  glory  of  God,  to  die  for  his  love. 
How  admirably  has  the  Gospel  been  styled  by  St. 
Paul  the  word  of  the  Cross." 

Louise  had  a  tender  devotion  to  the  most  Blessed 
Sacrament  of  the  altar.  That  great  mystery  of  the 
love  of  God,  who  deigns  to  lower,  and  as  it  were, 
annihilate  himself,  and  "  whose  delight  is  to  be  with 
the  children  of  men"  (Prov.,  viii.  31),  seemed  to 
touch  the  good  Indian  woman  most  profoundly, 
and  to  fill  her  heart  with  the  liveliest  gratitude. 
Every  morning  she  attended  the  holy  sacrifice  of 
the  Mass  with  the  greatest  recollectedness.  For  a 
long  time  she  went  regularly  to  the  missionary's 
cabin  to  ask  explanations  and  instructions  on  the 
Holy  Sacrament  of  the  altar,  without  his  supposing 
it  to  result  from  any  motive  bu£  a  desire  of  instruc 
tion.  It  was  not  till  after  the  death  of  Louise,  that 
he  learned  that  when  she  had  fully  comprehended 
the  meaning  and  seen  the  explanation  of  the  prin 
cipal  ceremonies  and  rubrics  in  the  celebration  of 


36  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

the  most  holy  mystery,  she  composed  short  prayers, 
full  of  unction,  like  those  found  in  our  best  prayer- 
books.  I  must  remark  here  that  this  practice  was 
then  as  yet  unknown  by  the  catechumens  among 
the  Indians,  for  the  missionaries,  especially  in  the 
first  years  that  followed  the  establishment  of  the 
mission,  were  unable  to  go  beyond  the  most  elemen 
tary  instructions  on  the  points  of  doctrine  of  the 
most  absolute  necessity.  But  the  zeal  of  Louise 
was  by  no  means  limited  to  her  own  soul ;  she  had 
at  the  same  time  in  view  the  spiritual  good  and 
advancement  of  her  neighbor  by  all  these  holy 
practices.  Gifted  with  an  excellent  memory,  she 
communicated  with  care  and  eagerness  to  others  all 
the  instructions  that  she  had  received  on  the  holy 
sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  The  beautiful  and  admirable 
little  prayers  of  which  I  have  just  spoken  were  in 
harmony  with  the  different  parts  of  the  Mass,  per 
fectly  conformable  to  the  spirit  ofthe  Church,  full 
of  sense  and  piety ;  they  seemed  dictated  under  the 
inspiration  of  the  divine  Master.  We  may  say 
Avith  all  assurance  and  truth,  that  this  useful  work 
of  Louise  was  far  beyond  the  ordinary  capacity  and 
reach  of  a  poor  Indian. 

Among  the  holy^  practices  in  which  Louise  dis 
played  most  zeal,  fervor,  and  charity,  and  which 
always  seemed  dearest  to  her,  all  remarked  her 
great  devotion  for  the  souls  in  purgatory.  All  her 
prayers,  all  her  actions,  all  the  merits  that  she 


LOUISE    8IGHOUIN.  37 

might  obtain  from  God  by  her  pious  and  active  life, 
were  directed  to  this  noble  intention.  She  succeed 
ed,  too,  after  persevering  efforts,  in  making  the 
whole  tribe  relish  and  adopt  her  beautiful  devotion.. 
Every  day,  even  during  the  rigorous  season  of  win 
ter,  she  proceeded  to  the  cemetery  to  spend  some 
time  there  in  prayer.  When  the  household  occu 
pations  of  her  poor  family  prevented  her  visiting  it 
by  day,  she  went  there  late  in  the  evening,  or  even 
during  the  night.  This  was  frequently  the  case. 
It  seems  that  hell  endeavored  to  raise  obstacles  to 
prayers  so  agreeable  to  heaven,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  deprive  the  souls  in  purgatory  of  so  many 
suffrages,  and  good  Sighouin  of  all  the  merits  she 
daily  laid  up  for  herself.  The  fact  was  this.  Before 
relating  it,  I  must  observe  that,  in  the  whole  tribe, 
Louise  was  regarded  as  a  brave  and  nowise  timid 
woman,  and  that  on  many  occasions  she  gave 
unequivocal  proofs  of  her  natural  courage.  And 
yet  it  several  times  happened  that  when  at  prayer 
in  the  cemetery,  she  would  be  seized  with  affright, 
at  the  sight  of  fantastic  figures  that  she  seemed  to 
behold  before  her.  Once  the  spectres  appeared  in 
so  frightful  a  manner,  that,  trembling  with  fear,  she 
ran  back  to  the  camp  with  loud  cries.  The  men 
immediately  all  flew  to  arms,  as  though  a  powerful 
enemy  had  assailed  the  village.  All  were  convinced 
that  the  alarm  given  by  Louise  must  have  a  real 
foundation.  Father  Gazzoli,  who  relates  the  facts, 


38  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

had  much  trouble  in  restoring  order  and  tranquillity 
in  the  camp ;  he  succeeded  however,  by  promising 
to  act  as  sentinel  all  night  over  his  dear  Indians. 
The  next  day  he  recommended  Louise  not  to  be 
disturbed  in  her  prayers  by  the  influence  of  such 
fears ;  and  in  case  the  phantoms  returned  again  to 
-molest  her,  to  come,  even  though  it  were  midnight, 
and  tell  him,  but  no  one  else,  so  as  to  create  a 
panic  in  the  village.  On  this  occasion  as  ever,  she 
showed  her  obedience  and  submission ;  and  although 
-the  frightful  visions  returned  from  time  to  time,  her 
^7ictory  over  the  demon  was  complete.  From  that 
time  for  several  years,  and  down  to  the  period  of 
her  last  illness,  she  calmly  continued  her  pious  visits 
to  the  cemetery,  exempt  from  all  trouble  and  all 
fear.  One  day  the  missionary  in  an  instruction, 
advised  his  flock  to  remember  the  souls  in  purga 
tory,  especially  after  communion.  Louise  received 
the  recommendation  as  an  advice  from  heaven,  and 
the  first  time  she  approached  the  holy  table,  she  was 
seen,  after  receiving  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  proceed 
ing  to  the  cemetery  at  the  head  of  all  the  commu 
nicants,  where  they  spent  a  considerable  time  in 
prayer  for  the  relief  of  the  faithful  departed.  Her 
example  greatly  increased  this  beautiful  practice  of 
Christian  life ;  the  greatest  part  of  the  Indians  were 
soon  seen  following  their  pious  guide  to  the  place 
of  rest ;  at  last  all  went.  This  holy  custom  is  still 
observed. 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  39 


CHAPTER    VI. 

LOUISE?S    PENITENTIAL  SPIRIT  J    HER    HORROR    OF   SIN, 
AND    ZEAL    TO    PRESERVE    OTHERS    FROM    IT. 

OUR  poor  Indians  have  a  very  limited  intelli 
gence  ;  their  progress  in  religious  instruction  is 
very  slow,  retarded  especially  by  the  difficulty 
which  the  missionaries  encounter  in  the  language 
of  the  Indians,  which  is  very  rich  to  express  what 
ever  is  material ;  but  excessively  poor  in  all  that 
relates  to  the  explanation  of  spiritual  things. 
Hence,  it  happens  that  many  of  these  poor  people 
have  not  yet  that  salutary  horror  and  shame  for  sin, 
which  are  so  powerful  a  means  to  restrain  men's 
passions.  Thus  a  woman  who  has  been  unfaithful 
or  rebellious  to  her  husband  will  receive  pardon  the 
moment  she  shows  sorrow  for  it.  A  man  who  has 
grossly  insulted  another,  or  done  him  a  grievous 
wrong,  will  go  and  smoke  the  calumet  of  peace 
with  the  injured  person,  or  enter  his  lodge,  or  give 
him  an  equivalent  for  the  wrong  committed.  These 
reparations  are  generally  received,  and  considered 
sufficient,  and  the  offender  recovers  the  good  graces 
of  the  injured  party.  "  The  wound  is  covered,"  as 
they  express  it ;  that  is  to  say,  "  All  is  forgotten." 
When  any  one  commits  a  fault,  secret  or  notorious, 


40  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

he  goes  of  his  own  accord  to  present  himself  to  the 
chief  and  ask  to  be  whipped.  "  The  whip  has  cov 
ered  his  fault,"  no  one  can  then  speak  of  it.  The 
missionary  has  sometimes  to  instruct  them  in  the 
confessional  on  this  point ;  for  the  penitent  would 
come,  and  not  accuse  himself  of  grievous  faults 
known  to  the  whole  tribe.  In  vain  will  the  con 
fessor  say  :  "  You  have  been  guilty  of  such  or  such 
a  sin,  you  must  accuse  yourself  of  it  before  God." 
The  penitent  will  reply :  "  Pardon,  Father,  I  went 
to  the  chief,  and  the  sin  you  mention  was  covered 
by  the  whip ;  the  whip  has  covered  my  fault."  I 
mention  this  usage  of  the  Cceur-d' Alfines,  because 
our  good  Louise  sometimes  presented  herself  to  the 
chief  to  be  publicly  whipped.  But  here  the  case 
was  different ;  she  seized  the  opportunity  in  a  spirit 
of  profound  humility,  always  regarding  herself  as  a 
poor  and  enormous  sinner,  and  at  the  same  time 
from  a  desire  to  satisfy  her  devotion  to  imitate  our 
Lord,  by  submitting  to  the  cruel  flagellation.  Lou 
ise's  faults  were  only  of  the  nature  of  those  of 
which  the  Book  of  Proverbs  speaks,  when  he  says 
that  the  "just  man  shall  fall  seven  times  and  shall 
rise  again." — Prov.  xxiv.  16.  Nevertheless,  what 
she  called  her  faults,  caused  her  such  regret  and 
confusion,  that  the  missionary  often  found  her  bathed 
in  tears.  At  the  least  fault,  her  contrition  was  so 
lively,  and,  at  the  same  time,  her  veneration  for  the 
Lodge  of  the  Lord  (the  church)  so  profound,  and 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  41 

her  respect  for  the  cabin  of  the  priest  so  sincere, 
that  she  durst  not  enter  either  till  she  had  ap 
proached  the  tribunal  of  penance.  We  admired  in 
her,  too,  that  faith  and  that  love  of  God,  which,  in 
the  real  sins  and  faults  of  others,  made  her  share  in 
their  sorrow  and  shame. 

A  certain  member  of  the  tribe,  blinded  by  pas 
sion,  in  spite  of  all  the  obstacles  in  the  way  of  his 
illicit  desires,  had  resolved  to  unite  himself  with  a 
near  relative  of  Louise's,  and  who  was  at  the  same 
time  nearly  related  to  himself.  Among  the  Indians 
there  is  no  power  to  prevent  evil  in  such  a  case  but 
argument;  when  this  fails  there  is  no  means  to 
which  they  can  have  recourse.  The  wretched  man, 
deaf  to  all  the  advice  of  the  chief  and  of  his  own 
friends,  obdurately  closing  his  ears  to  the  exhorta 
tions  of  the  missionary,  had  united  himself  to  the 
object  of  his  desires.  The  traits  which  I  have 
already  given  of  the  pure  soul  of  Louise,  will  speak 
sufficiently  the  grief  and  bitterness  which  this  de 
pravity  in  a  near  kinswoman  must  have  caused  her. 
She  had  already  employed  all  the  means  of  persua 
sion  in  her  power,  to  prevent  the  union  of  these  two 
miserable  people.  They  "had  turned  a  deaf  ear  to 
her  wholesome  advice  and  counsel,  as  to  all  that 
others  had  offered.  One  day  the  pastor  showed 
himself  more  than  ordinarily  troubled  and  afflicted 
at  the  depravity  and  obstinacy  of  his  two  lost  sheep,, 
and  at  the  great  scandal  they  gave  the  whole  tribe.. 

4* 


42  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

He  said  publicly  and  vehemently,  "  We  must  put 
a  stop  to  this  at  once.  Let  each  one  then  im 
plore  the  divine  assistance,  and  beg  the  Almighty, 
that  with  as  little  delay  as  possible,  he  will  aid 
to  remove  this  great  scandal  from  among  us." 
Louise  was  present  and  heard  the  missionary's 
words.  She  was  ignorant  of  the  guilty  man's 
threats,  for  he  had  resolved  to  repel  by  brute  force 
and  by  arms,  whoever  would  dare  to  prevent  his 
retaining  the  object  of  his  guilty  love.  Invested 
with  courage  above  her  strength,  like  the  strong 
woman  in  the  Scriptures,  and  full  of  confidence  in 
God,  brave  Sighouin  immediately  started  from  the 
village  over  woods  and  mountains,  and  marched  for 
several  days  to  the  spot  where  the  two  culprits  had 
hidden  themselves  to  hide  their  crime  and  infamy. 
She  entered  the  lodge  to  the  great  surprise  of  the 
guilty  pair.  One  rushed  at  her,  whip  in  hand,  the 
other  threatened  to  strike  her ;  but  Louise  addressed 
them  on  the  misfortune  of  their  state,  in  words  so 
resolute,  so  energetic,  so  overwhelming,  that  they 
stood  silent  and  confounded  before  her,  and  without 
difficulty  she  rescued  from  his  hands  the  woman 
whom  sin  alone  had  made  his  partner.  She  took 
iher  to  her  own  house,  and  kept  her  there  till  a 
•  dispensation  was  obtained,  on  which  they  were 
lawfully  married.  The  charity  and  zeal  of  Louise 
aided  from  on  high,  thus  came  forth  triumphant 
.from  a  struggle  as  heroic  as  it  was  delicate. 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  43 

In  another  and  nearly  similar  case,  a  wretched 
man  drew  his  dagger  to  strike  Louise,  while  loading 
her  with  insulting  words  and  terrible  threats ;  but 
the  Christian  heroine,  with  a  calm  and  serene 
brow,  portrayed  to  him  the  enormity  of  his  conduct, 
his  ingratitude  to  God,  the  scandal  given  to  his 
neighbor.  "  I  have  come  here,"  she  said,  "  for  the 
honor  of  God,  and  the  salvation  of  your  soul ;  I  fear 
nothing."  Here  below,  life  is  but  a  short  passage. 
'•  The  world  passeth  away,"  says  the  beloved  Apos 
tle,  "  and  the  concupiscence  thereof.  But  he  that 
doth  the  will  of  God  abideth  forever." — 1  John,  ii. 
17.  Louise  fully  comprehended  these  maxims,  she 
never  shrunk  from  any  danger  when  the  glory  of  the 
Almighty  was  concerned. 

Louise  paid  special  attention  to  the  young  girls 
of  her  tribe.  She  took  care  of  their  religious  in 
struction,  and  diligently  watched  over  their  beha 
vior.  In  the  absence  of  their  parents  she  made 
them  all  lodge  in  her  cabin  of  mats,  and  took  the 
entire  direction  of  them.  To  understand  this,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  make  a  little  digression.  An 
Indian  lodge  of  mats  is  a  pretty  commodious,  though 
not  very  attractive  abode.  It  assumes  all  dimen 
sions,  according  to  the  number  of  persons  to  be 
accommodated  :  a  few  more  poles  and  mats  are 
added,  and  the  arrangements  are  completed.  Thus 
Louise  was  able  to  make  room  for  a  considerable 
number  of  beds  for  the  children,  for  each  one  has 


44  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

her  blanket  or  buffalo-robe.  Their  tables  are  the 
bare  ground.  Their  dishes,  plates,  and  spoons,  are 
pieces  of  bark  or  wood  ;  their  fingers  serve  for  forks 
and  their  teeth  for  knives.  It  takes  an  Indian,  at 
most,  half  an  hour  to  change  a  lodge  into  a  large 
hostelry,  and  furnish  it  to  correspond.  Thus  Louise 
was  able  to  see  herself  at  the  head  of  a  numerous 
household  who  were  her  delight.  How  beautiful  it 
was  to  contemplate  the  good  Indian  grandmother, 
tenderly  loved  and  respected,  amid  her  cherished 
children ! 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  45 


CHAPTER    VII. 


SICKNESS    AND    DEATH    OF    LOUISE. 

WE  may  apply  to  Louise  the  beautiful  words  of 
the  Scriptures :  "  Being  made  perfect  in  a  short 
space,  lie  fulfilled  a  long  time." — Wisdom,  iv.  13. 
After  her  vocation  to  the  faith,  she  did  not  indeed 
live  long  years  on  the  earth,  but  her  years  were  full 
of  merits  before  God.  "  She  walked  in  the  ways  of 
the  Lord  with  a  rapid  step."  In  all  that  she  did, 
she  constantly  kept  her  eyes  fixed  on  her  heavenly 
home,  awaiting  those  eternal  goods  of  which  the 
great  Apostle  speaks ;  she  made  noble  efforts,  and 
employed  all  her  moments  to  embellish  and  enrich 
her  soul  with  all  Christian  virtues.  By  her  regular 
attendance  at  the  instructions,  by  her  constant  spirit 
of  prayer,  by  the  practice  of  every  species  of  good 
work,  she  increased  more  and  more  in  the  grace 
and  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  sweet  Saviour, 
Jesus  Christ. 

Her  last  illness  left  her  the  use  of  all  her  faculties, 
which  she  preserved  to  her  last  breath.  She  thus 
prepared  for  death  with  all  the  tranquillity  of  the 
just.  Her  prayer  was  fervent  and  uninterrupted; 
her  patience  superior  to  every  trial.  Entirely  taken 


46  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

up  with  the  salvation  of  her  soul,  she  seemed  utterly 
unmindful  of  the  sufferings  of  her  body ;  she  sought 
no  relief,  and  never  betrayed  the  least  sign  of  im 
patience  ;  she  often  tenderly  kissed  the  cross,  which 
she  always  carried  around  her  neck.  The  desire  of 
the  Apostle  "  to  be  dissolved  and  to  be  with  Christ" 
(Phil.  i.  23),  seemed  to  be  during  her  illness  her 
only  motto  and  her  only  preoccupation.  , 

"  Always  at  the  bedside  of  her  who  had  so  greatly 
aided  me  in  my  visits  to  the  sick,  and  who  had 
always  served  as  my  interpreter,  and  given  me  her 
aid  w/ith  the  ignorant, — the  spiritual  directress,  the 
guardian  angel  of  her  whole  tribe, — I  had  the  hap 
piness  to  witness  this  touching  scene,"  says  Father 
Gazzoli,  the  spiritual  director  of  Louise.  "  Her  vir 
tues  had  shone  like  a  brilliant  torch  amid  the 
Indians ;  she  had  never  sullied  the  white  robe  of 
innocence  which  she  had  received  in  baptism.  I 
witnessed  the  great  power  of  the  Cross,  which 
displayed  in  the  desert  virtues  till  then  unknown  ; 
which  produces  wherever  it  is  planted  so  many 
holy  martyrs,  so  many  confessors,  so  many  virgins 
and  illustrious  penitents.  Here,  amkl  these  isolated 
mountains,  appears  a  poor  Indian  woman,  whose 
unshaken  faith  and  firm  hope  render  her  superior  to 
trials  of  every  kind.  I  desired  to  relieve  her  in 
some  way ;  she  in  obedience  gratefully  received 
what  I  offered,  yet  without  seeking  or  asking  the 
slightest  relief  or  the  slightest  mitigation  -of  her 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  47 

pains,  which  she  accepted  as  so  many  special  graces 
of  our  Lord." 

Louise  received  from  the  hands  of  the.  minister 
of  God  all  the  consolations  of  the  Church,  the  Holy 
Viaticum  especially,  with  truly  angelic  piety  and 
consolation.  She  thanked  our  Lord  in  all  the 
humility  of  her  soul,  for  the  great  favors  which  he 
deigned  to  grant  her  in  that  last  hour  of  her  earthly 
anguish,  committing  to  his  .holy  Providence  her 
crippled  husband  and  beloved  children.  She  then 
made  an  effort  to  rally  her  little  remaining  strength, 
to  thank  her  spiritual  director  for  all  the  care  which 
he  constantly  lavished  on  her,  and  especially  in  his 
instructions;  she  especially  commended  to  his  spir 
itual  care  the  charge  of  all  her  family.  The  words 
which  Louise  addressed  to  her  husband  and  her 
grieving  children  were  consoling,  full  of  trust  in 
God's  divine  and  paternal  goodness,  full  of  resigna 
tion  to  His  holy  will,  and  of  firm  hope  to  be  one 
day  all  united  again  in  their  heavenly  home.  At 
last  she  turned  to  those  who  surrounded  her  death 
bed,  happy  witnesses  of  all  these  edifying  scenes, 
which  the  just  dying  in  the  Lord  present  to  the 
living,  and  which  realize  the  words  of  Holy  Writ : 
"  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord." — Apoc. 
xiv.  13.  She  begged  those  around  to  intone  in  their 
language  the  touching  hymn  in  honor  of  the  souls 
in  purgatory,  and  accompanied  it  herself  in  a 
feeble  and  dying  voice  scarcely  perceptible.  They 


48  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

were  still  singing  it  when  Louise,  unperceived  by 
any,  slept  calmly  in  our  Lord. 

Her  beautiful  soul  had  taken  its  heavenward 
flight.  She  happily  left  the  place  of  trouble,  mis 
ery,  and  death,  to  pass  to  an  abode  of  glory  and 
peace,  the  delights  whereof  are  eternal.  In  her 
were  fulfilled  what  St.  James  teaches  us  when  he 
says :  "  Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  tempta 
tion,  for  when  he  hath  been  proved,  he  shall  receive 
the  crown  of  life,  which  God  hath  promised  to  them 
that  love  him." — St.  James,  i.  12.  In  the  pleasing 
hope  that  henceforth  the  eternal  crown  is  her  lot, 
with  the  deep-seated  trust  in  her  power  with  God, 
we  addressed  to  her  in  heaven  our  poor  prayers : 
"  0  Louise,  intercede  with  God  for  him  who  con 
ferred  baptism  on  you,  and  was  your  spiritual 
director ;  for  your  husband,  for  your  children,  and 
and  for  all  your  dear  Skizoumish.  Obtain  for  us 
all  the  grace  of  perseverance  in  the  holy  service  of 
our  Lord.  Amen." 

I  then  addressed  those  around  : 

"  Skizoumish  !  the  example  of  the  pious  Sighouin 
is  in  your  midst,  we  must  profit  by  it.  Henceforth 
she  belongs  to  the  whole  nation,  for  she  is  the 
common  beloved  mother.  As  we  all  one  day  desire 
to  share  the  glorious  reward  which  she  has  just 
obtained  by  her  virtues  and  good  works,  we  must 
all  follow  the  path  which  she  has  traced  for  us,  and 
which  leads  to  everlasting  happiness.  From  the 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  49 

day  of  her  baptism,  in  April,  1842,  she  constantly, 
night  and  day,  devoted  herself  to  your  instruction. 
In  the  service  of  her  God,  she  accepted  with  joy 
and  eagerness,  the  privations,  misery,  contradictions, 
which  it  pleased  Him  to  send  her.  In  her  this  day 
are  verified  the  words  of  the  Lord  addressed  to  the 
just:  *  Because  thou  hast  kept  the  word  of  my 
patience,  I  will  also  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of 
temptation,  which  shall  come  upon  the  whole  world 
to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth.' " — Apoc. 
iii.  10. 

The  death  of  Louise  Sighouin  was  the  signal  of 
a  sudden  desolation  and  a  universal  grief  in  the 
tribe,  which  lost  a  mother  beloved  by  all,  and 
especially  by  the  children,  a  faithful  friend  to  the 
whole  nation,  the  comfort  of  the  sick  and  afflicted, 
a  guide  and  a  support !  The  loss  was  immense,  we 
avow.  Yet  this  mourning  was  that  of  a  Christian 
people,  and  not  that  of  a  perverse  and  unbelieving 
world,  that  has  no  hope  beyond  the  grave.  Amid 
this  Indian  tribe  was  renewed  the  salutary  sadness 
that  we  ordinarily  admire  at  the  death  of  the  just, 
whose  memory  is  ever  dear  and  in  benediction, 
according  to  the  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  "  O  how 
beautiful  is  the  chaste  generation  with  glory :  for 
the  memory  thereof  is  immortal :  because  it  is 
known  both  with  God  and  with  men." — Wisdom, 
iv.  1. 

The  minister  of  the  Lord  was  still  reciting  the 
5 


50  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

last  prayers  of  the  Church,  invoking  the  angels  and 
saints  to  receive  the  soul  of  her  who  had  just  ex 
pired,  to  present  it  at  the  throne  of  the  Most  High, 
when  one  of  those  kneeling  beside  him,  ran  out 
crying  :  "  Sighouin,  good  Sighouin  is  dead !"  The 
cry  was  taken  up  and  echoed  in  the  valley  and  in 
the  foot  of  the  high  mountains  which  encircle  the 
Kesidence  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  The  Indians  ran 
up  in  crowds  around  the  lodge  of  the  departed.  In 
their  impatience  to  gratify  their  desire  of  gazing 
once  more  on  the  pious  woman,  the  lodge  was 
invaded,  but  it  was  too  small  to  hold  them  all,  the 
mats  were  torn  from  the  poles;  the  lodge  thus 
opened  on  all  sides,  enabled  the  crowd  of  spectators 
to  satisfy  their  pious  wish,  and  they  gazed  in  ad-, 
miring  silence  on  the  last  sleep  of  Louise. 

It  is  a  custom  of  the  Indians  for  the  relatives  and 
friends  of  a  deceased  person  to  assemble  in  his  lodge 
after  his  death.  When  the  missionary,  after  re 
citing  the  prayers  of  the  Church,  leaves  the  lodge, 
he  says :  "  Pray,  my  children,  for  the  repose  of  his 
soul,"  and  adds  some  words  suited  to  the  circum 
stances.  Then,  on  a  signal  from  one  of  the  nearest 
relatives  of  the  deceased,  all  present  burst  into  tears 
and  groans,  either  real  or  feigned,  or  rather  they 
begin  lamentations,  often  forced,  and  extorted  rather 
by  the  usual  ceremony,  than  by  a  real  sorrow 
caused  by  the  loss  of  the  deceased.  On  Louise's 
death  the  scene  of  mourning  was  far  different :  it 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  51 

was  doubtless  sincere.  Father  Gazzoli  thus  relates 
it :  "I  was  an  eyewitness,  moved  to  tears  by  all  that 
passed.  My  emotion  kept  increasing,  especially 
when,  even  before  the  end  of  the  prayers,  universal 
cries  and  tears,  interrupted  by  sobs,  announced 
clearly  that  no  ceremony  was  enacting  here,  but, 
on  the  contrary,  they  had  assembled  to  pay  a  just 
tribute  of  gratitude  and  admiration  to  Louise's 
virtues,  and  to  relieve  the  lively  grief  caused  by  her 
loss." 

It  must  not  be  imagined  that  sunset,  on  this  as 
on  other  occasions,  put  an  end  to  these  demonstra 
tions  of  sorrow,  regret,  veneration,  and  love,  dis 
played  over  the  mortal  remains  of  good  Louise : 
they  rather  increased.  The  Indians  immediately 
put  up  a  vast  lodge,  which  they  illuminated  by  a  fire 
of  resinous  wood.  The  body,  becomingly  wrapped 
in  skins  of  wild  animals,  was  respectfully  laid  upon 
a  bed  of  straw  ;  a  great  number  watch  around,  and 
recite  prayers  aloud  during  the  whole  night.  The 
pious  ceremonies  of  that  night  were  till  then  unex 
ampled  in  the  country  of  the  Coeur-d'Alenes.  There 
was  on  tliis  occasion  a  most  touching,  edifying,  and 
extraordinary  unanimity.  Men,  women,  and  chil 
dren,  were  seen  surrounding  with  equal  eagerness 
the  corpse  of  Louise,  unable  to  tear  themselves  from 
her  whom  they  called  by  so  many  titles,  their  moth 
er,  their  guide,  and  their  true  friend.  Their  prayers 
and  hymns  were  from  time  to  time  interrupted  by 


52  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

edifying  discourses  on  the  life  and  heroic  virtues  of 
the  deceased ;  the  principal  chiefs  of  the  nation 
were  the  first  to  retrace  most  touching  pictures  of 
them  for  the  assembly. 

The  missionary,  struck  at  the  spectacle  of  so 
striking  a  testimony  borne  to  virtue  by  a  people 
possessed  of  such  feeble  ideas  of  it,  believed  it  his 
duty  to  go  and  preside  in  this  pious  assembly.  He 
proceeded  to  the  lodge  about  midnight,  at  the 
moment  when  the  eldest  son  of  the  deceased  was 
making  a  panegyric  on  his  beloved  mother.  His 
beautiful  words,  full  of  simple,  unstudied,  true  elo 
quence,  produced  the  liveliest  sensation  and  emotion 
in  all  his  auditory.  The  abundance  of  his  tears, 
which  did  not  cease  to  flow  as  long  as  he  spoke, 
prevented  him  from  continuing  his  long  and  inter 
esting  discourse.  The  missionary  then  rose,  and 
while  exhorting  his  good  Indians  to  imitate  the 
example  of  Louise,  he  expressed  the  sentiments  of 
esteem  and  admiration  which  her  virtues  and  good 
works  had  excited  in  his  heart  from  his  arrival  in 
the  Mission. 

On  the  day  succeeding  the  death  of  Louise,  her 
body  was  carried  in  procession  early  in  the  morning 
to  the  church,  accompanied  by  all  the  Indians  of 
the  camp.  The  labors  of  the  harvest  were  not 
resumed  all  that  day.  All  thought  alone  of  giving 
in  the  most  expressive  manner  a  mark  of  their  love, 
their  esteem,  and  their  grief,  to  the  common  mother 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  53 

of  the  tribe.  After  a  solemn  Mass  of  Requiem,  and 
all  the  other  funeral  ceremonies  of  the  Church, 
Father  Gazzoli  resolved  to  leave  the  body  exposed 
during  the  rest  of  the  day,  to  satisfy  the  pious  zeal, 
we  might  almost  say  ever  increasing  devotion,  of 
the  many  friends  of  the  deceased.  Her  children, 
her  family,  all,  in  a  word,  constantly  pressed  around 
the  bier,  and  seemed  unable  to  tear  themselves 
from  it.  It  would  have  seemed  too  hard  and  too 
cruel  to  put  an  end  so  soon  to  the  last  expressions 
of  affection  of  that  religious  assemblage,  of  those 
truly  Christian  hearts. 

At  last  the  day  began  to  wane,  and  the  shades  of 
night  would  soon  infold  the  valley.  The  missionary 
had  to  make  an  effort  to  overcome  his  own  feelings, 

O     ' 

and  to  propose  to  his  good  children  in  Christ  a 
separation  so  afflicting  and  so  painful  to  their  hearts. 
Yet  it  was  the  most  favorable  time  to  give  the 
interment  a  funereal  grandeur,  and  a  last  tribute  of 
love  and  respect  to  the  precious  remains  of  Sighouin. 
The  funeral  surpassed  all  expectation.  The  chil 
dren  alone,  boys  and  girls,  as  a  proof  of  their 
innocent  love,  had  thought  of  preparing  with  care 
a  large  quantity  of  resinous  splinters.  These  prim 
itive  torches  in  the  hands  of  these  children  of  nature, 
dressed  chiefly  in  bear,  wolf,  jaguar,  beaver,  and 
otter  skins,  added  to  the  ceremony,  sad  and  mourn 
ful  in  itself,  a  peculiar  air  of  wild  majesty  and 
savage  grandeur,  in  keeping  with  the  place  and  the 
5* 


54  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

interesting  occasion  of  the  assemblage.  Perfect 
order  was  observed  in  the  procession  ;  modest  piety 
and  holy  silence  reigned  in  the  two  long  files,  one 
composed  of  men  and  the  other  of  women,  where 
nothing  was  heard  but  the  prayer  and  the  chant. 
The  jjrave  had  been  dug  by  the  children  arid  kin 
dred  of  Louise.  Her  simple  and  modest  coffin  was 
the  work  of  her  youngest  son.  On  reaching  the 
cemetery,  the  Indians  ranged  themselves  in  order 
around  the  grave,  and  after  the  last  funeral  prayers 
of  the  Church  and  some  words  of  consolation  from 
the  priest,  the  coffin  was  lowered.  Each  one  pres 
ent  then  threw  a  spadeful  of  earth  into  the  grave, 
pronouncing  a  prayer  and  a  last  adieu.  This 
touching  ceremony,  and  the  most  trifling  incidents 
of  the  great  funeral,  live  in  the  memory  of  our 
C<i'ur-d'Alenes.  They  repeat  them  and  will  repeat 
them  to  their  grandchildren  ;  they  will  render  ever 
memorable  this  day  of  Christian  sorrow,  this  religious 
triumph  conferred  on  a  poor  Indian  woman  of  the 
Skizoumish  or  Coeur-d'Alenes. 

In  the  month  of  February,  1859,  in  one  of  my 
visits  to  the  husband  of  Louise,  a  poor  old  cripple, 
unable  for  many  years  to  walk  without  crutches,  I 
conversed  with  him  on  the  holy  life  led  by  his  wife 
on  earth,  on  her  noble  qualities,  and  the  great 
virtues  of  which  she  had  given  so  striking  an 
example.  I  asked  him  what  he  had  most  loved 
and  admired  in  her.  "  Truly,  Father,"  he  replied, 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  55 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  in  what  Louise  most  excelled. 
From  the  blessed  day  on  which  you  conferred 
baptism  upon  us,  all  was  good  and  admirable  in  her 
life.  Never  to  my  knowledge  was  there  the  slight 
est  shadow  of  a  difference  between  us ;  not  a 
syllable,  not  a  word  louder  than  another.  When  I 
was  sick  she  carried  me  in  the  .canoe ;  if  I  could 
not  use  my  hands,  she  cut  my  food  and  put  it  in 
my  mouth.  Louise  served  me  like  a  guardian 
angel.  Now  I  am  an  object  of  pity  and  compassion, 
for  I  am  weak  in  mind.  I  loved  to  hear  her  con 
soling  words,  to  listen  to  her  wise  counsels,  to 
follow  her  salutary  advice,  for  she  was  full  of  the 
wisdom  and  spirit  of  God.  The  Fathers  taught  her 
many  beautiful  prayers,  and  we  recited  them  to 
gether  with  our  children.  Now  I  have  no  one  to 
repeat  those  beautiful  prayers  to  me,  and  I  am  to 
be  pitied.  Yet  I  never  cease  thanking  the  Lord 
for  the  favors  which  he  has  not  ceased  to  bestow 
upon  me.  I  submit  myself  to  his  holy  will ;  my 
heart  is  always  satisfied  and  calm." 

The  good  old  man  has  always  been  a  subject  of 
edification  amid  his  tribe,  universally  loved  and 
respected  by  all  the  nation.  He  is  a  man  of  the 
greatest  simplicity  and  of  very  solid  and  fervent 
piety  ;  nothing  gives  him  greater  pleasure  than  a 
conversation  on  holy  things  and  on  the  great  affair 
of  salvation.  You  can  never  visit  him  without 
seeing  the  smile  on  his  lips  and  without  finding 


56  LOUISE    SIGIIOUIN. 

him  at  prayer,  with  his  beads  in  his  hands.  He 
begins  to  say  the  rosary  early  in  the  morning; 
the  first  is  offered  to  Mary  to  keep  him  in  the  holy 
grace  of  the  Lord  during  the  day ;  he  recites  the 
others  either  for  the  missionaries,  for  his  family,  for 
his  tribe,  or  for  some  other  intention.  From  the 
day  of  his  baptism,  he  made  it  a  duty  to  pray  for 
me  every  day,  and  I  feel  the  utmost  gratitude  to 
him. 

Good  Adolph,  such  is  the  name  of  Louise's  hus 
band,  related  to  me  among  other  things,  that  during 
his  wife's  life,  when  the  village  set  out  for  the 
chase,  or  to  get  wild  roots,  and  Louise  went  along 
with  them,  he  felt  very  lonesome.  When  he  saw 
Louise  about  to  die,  he  told  her :  "  If  you  die,  it 
will  be  impossible  for  me  to  stay  here ;  I  shall  find 
the  time  so  long,  I  will  go  back  to  my  own  land." 
"  Take  care  not  to  do  so,"  returned  Louise ;  "  be 
very  careful  not  to  do  so,  Adolph  !  Do  not  remove 
from  the  house  of  the  Lord  (the  church).  As  I  die 
here,  I  wish  you  to  remain  here  till  you  die.  You 
w'ill  not  be  lonesome."  Adolph  remains  faithful  to 
to  his  wife's  recommendation.  His  cabin  is  beside 
the  church,  and  although  alone  the  greater  part  of 
the  time  since  the  death  of  Louise,  he  has  not  felt 
the  time  tedious  for  a  single  moment.  His  beads 
and  prayer  are  his  greatest  consolation,  and  his 
only  delight. 

On  my  recent  visit  to  the  Cceur-d'Alenes,  I  again 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  5*7 

questioned  the  Indians,  in  order  to  obtain  new 
details  as  to  the  life  of  Louise  Sighouin.  The 
answer  was  this  :  "  After  so  many  years  it  is  difficult 
to  add  any  thing  to  these  extraordinary  facts,  so 
well  known  by  all,  except  that  from  the  time  of  her 
baptism,  her  life  was  an  act  of  continual  charity." 
And  I  ca.n  say,  and  all  that  read  this  narrative  will 
agree  with  me,  that  there  is  no  exaggeration  in  this 
summary  remark.  It  was  a  devotedness  of  every 
day  and  every  hour,  a  chain  of  links  of  little  details 
of  mercy,  which  offer  nothing  very  striking,  unless  it 
be  that  untiring  constancy,  which  for  more  than  ten 
years,  was  always  prompt  night  and  day  in  exer 
cising  all  works  of  charity,  corporal  and  spiritual. 
No  one  will  better  appreciate  this  martyrdom  of 
detail  than  those  who  are  themselves  devoted  to  it; 
and  if  we  consider  that  Louise  was  poor,  infirm, 
that  she  could  only  half  understand  the  missionaries, 
who  as  yet  only  stammered  the  language  of  the 
Indians,  no  one  will  call  in  doubt  the  many  graces 
which  Louise  received,  and  the  immense  profit  she 
derived  from  the  lessons  of  her  Divine  Master. 
God  had  raised  up  Louise  to  be  the  assistant  of  the 
apostolic  men  in  the  outset  of  their  labors,  when 
they  did  not  understand  the  language.  It  had 
been  the  same  at  the  mission  of  St.  Ignatius.  The 
Almighty  had  given  the  missionaries  the  chief 
Loyola  to  do  among  the  Kalispcls  what  Louise  has 
done  among  the  Coeur-d'Alenes.  Both  were  poor 


58  LOUISE    SIGHOUIN. 

and  infirm ;  it  was  a  lively  faitli  which  animated 
their  zeal ;  both  devoted  themselves  to  their  last 
sigh,  and  both  were  bitterly  deplored  after  their 
death.  Loyola  displayed  invincible  firmness.  "  As 
long  as  I  have  a  breath  of  life,  my  people  must 
walk  uprightly,"  said  he ;  and  his  virtue  alone  gave 
him  the  authority  to  speak  so.  Louise  on  the  con 
trary  had  no  support  in  her  zeal  except  her  admi 
rable  meekness,  her  unwearied  patience.  Both 
died  about  the  same  time,  when  the  missionaries 
began  to  be  generally  understood  by  the  Indians. 

I  have  all  these  circumstances  from  the  mission 
aries  on  the  spot,  especially  from  the  reverend  and 
worthy  Father  Gazzoli,  nephew  of  the  cardinal  of 
that  name  who  died  in  1858.  This  Father  is  at 
this  moment  Superior  of  the  Mission  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  among  the  Skizoumish  or  Cceur-d'Alenes. 

In  one  of  my  letters  written  ten  years  ago,  June 
4,  1849,  I  said:  ''This  extraordinary  attention  of 
the  Indians,  and  this  avidity  on  their  part  for  the 
word  of  God,  must  seem  surprising  in  a  people  who 
appear  to  combine  all  moral  and  intellectual  miseries. 
But  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  breathes  where  it  pleases 
him,  his  graces  and  his  light  prompt  and  aid  men 
whom  ignorance,  rather  than  a  perverse  or  disorderly 
will,  has  rendered  evil.-  And  that  same  spirit 
which  obliged  the  most  rebellious  to  cry  out  with 
St.  Paul :  '  Lord !  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?' 
can  often  soften  the  fiercest  hearts,  inflame  the 


LOUISE    SIGHOUIN.  59 

coldest,  produce  peace,  justice,  and  joy,  where 
iniquity,  trouble,  and  disorder  reigned.  The  great 
respect  and  attention  which  the  poor  Indians  show 
on  all  occasions  to  the  missionary  who  comes  to 
announce  to  them  the  word  of  God,  are  a  source  of 
great  consolation  and  encouragement.  He  finds  the 
finger  of  God  in  the  spontaneous  manifestations  of 
these  unhappy  men."  Since  the  Gospel  has  been 
announced  to  the  tribes  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
the  Lord  has  always  had  his  chosen  souls  among 
them.  In  the  different  missions,  many  neophytes 
are  distinguished  by  a  zeal  and  piety  truly  worthy 
of  the  primitive  Christians,  by  a  rare  assiduity  at 
all  religious  exercises,  by  the  faithful  accomplish 
ment  of  all  the  duties  of  a  good  Christian,  in  a 
word,  by  all  the  virtues  which  we  have  just  seen  in 
their  highest  form  in  Louise  Sighouin. 


INDIAN  SKETCHES. 


LETTER  OF  FATHER  JOSET  TO  FATHER  FOUILLOT. 


SACRED  HEART  MISSION,  21st  June,  1859. 

I  HAVE  just  received  your  kind  letter  of  March 
12th,  1858;  it  was  more  than  a  year  on  the  way. 
I  hasten  to  comply  with  your  request  by  saying  a 
word  as  to  our  labors.  The  language  is  the  great 
est  difficulty.  One  must  learn  it  as  best  he  can. 
There  is  no  written  language,  there  are  no  inter 
preters,  there  is  very  little  analogy  with  other 
tongues.  The  pronunciation  is  very  harsh,  the  turn 
of  thought  is  entirely  different  from  ours.  They 
have  no  abstract  ideas,  every  thing  is  concrete. 
And  with  these  elements  it  is  necessary  to  create  a 
religious,  and  even  spiritual,  phraseology :  for  the 
savages  know  nothing  that  is  not  material. 

I  have  been  here  nearly  fifteen  years.  I  am  not 
yet  master  of  the  language,  and  am  far  from  flatter 
ing  myself  with  the  hope  of  becoming  so.  My 
catechist  remarked  to  me  the  other  day,  "You 
pronounce  like  a  child  learning  to  talk  :  when  you 


02  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

speak  of  religion,  we  understand  you  well ;  but 
when  you  change  the  subject,  it  is  another  thing." 
That  is  all  I  want.  I  have  at  last  succeeded  in 
translating  the  catechism.  I  think  it  is  nearly 
correct.  You  can  hardly  imagine  what  it  cost  me 
to  do  it.  I  have  been  constantly  at  work  at  it  since 
my  arrival  here.  I  finished  it  only  last  winter. 
Nevertheless,  it  is  very  short ;  it  has  but  fourteen 
lessons.  It  is  based  upon  the  first  part  of  the  Cat 
echism  of  Lyons,  which  was  in  use  in  the  diocese  of 
St.  Louis  (of  which  this  mission  formed  a  part) 
upon  our  arrival.  This  catechism  is  printed,  not 
on  paper,  but  on  the  memory  of  the  children  :  they 
know  it  all  by  heart,  questions  and  answers,  and 
they  say  two  lessons  of  it  every  day  after  morning 
prayer;  so  that  they  say  the  whole  of  it  once  a 
week.  The  good  will  of  these  poor  Indians  is 
admirable ;  I  never  saw  or  heard  of  any  thing  to 
equal  it.  I  am  never  tired  of  hearing  them  their 
catechism ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  my  greatest 
pleasure.  Oh,  if  you  could  have  seen  what  passed 
here  last  winter,  how  your  Reverence  would  love 
these  poor  savages,  and  how  you  would  pray  the 
Queen  of  Apostles  to  send  them  missionaries. 
Thirty  children  made  their  first  communion  to 
gether,  and  I  cannot  even  yet  think  of  the  manner 
in  which  they  prepared  for  it,  without  emotion. 

From  the  end  of  November  to  Palm  Sunday,  on 
which   day  this   ceremony   took   place,  they   had 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  63 

catechism  at  the  church  three  times  a  day,  and  it 
"was  rare  that  one  missed  the  exercise  :  besides  this 
there  was  a  repetition,  every  day,  either  before  the 
chief  or  the  catechist.  Every  time  that  I  gave 
them  permission  to  assemble  in  my  apartment  for 
more  ample  explanations,  they  crowded  there,  re 
maining  in  postures  of  the  greatest  discomfort  for 
three-quarters  of  an  hour  or  an  hour  at  a  time, 
without  ceasing  to  give  me  the  utmost  attention. 
They  never  became  weary.  There  was  no  end  to 
private  recitations  among  themselves,  and  little 
bands  would  everywhere  be  found  retired  and  re 
citing  the  catechism.  When  visiting  the  sick  in 
the  evening,  I  was  almost  certain  to  hear,  in  some 
tent  or  other,  groups  of  children  reciting  cate 
chism,  the  more  advanced  helping  the  others ;  and 
this  zeal  for  instruction  increased  rather  than  di 
minished. 

During  the  month  of  January,  the  period  of  the 
great  deer  hunt,  the  children  came  to  ask  my  per 
mission  to  return  to  their  parents :  this  period  is 
that  of  harvest  with  them.  How  could  I  refuse 
them.  They  were  actually  suffering  with  hunger 
at  the  Mission ;  besides,  their  parents  themselves 
had  expressed  the  desire  to  see  them.  "  How  much 
holiday  do  you  want?"  "Four  weeks."  "I  allow 
it."  It  was  not  too  much.  I  see  nothing  very 
surprising  in  the  fact  that  a  boy,  after  a  vacation  of 
two  months,  may  be  glad  to  return  to  school.  Soli- 


64  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

tude  and  inaction  have  become  wearisome  to  him. 
But  the  case  with  my  dusky  children  of  the  forest 
is  very  different.  At  camp  there  is  no  want  of 
occupation  or  of  companions,  they  have  food  in 
abundance,  which  is  rarely  the  case  at  the  Mission. 
This  year,  in  particular,  the  scarcity  has  been  great. 
Nevertheless,  they  obtained  of  their  parents  the 
permission  to  shorten  their  vacation  by  one  half. 
With  their  snow-shoes  on  their  feet,  and  their 
bundles  on  their  backs,  they  made  a  distance  of  ten 
leagues  (28  miles  English),  crossing  a  mountain 
covered  with  a  thick  forest,  over  soft  snow.  You 
must  be  on  the  spot  to  know  what  are  the  fatigues 
of  such  a  journey.  Judge  of  my  surprise  when  I 
saw  them  all  enter  my  room  at  nightfall,  worn  out 
with  fatigue,  but  gay  and  happy.  What  motive 
could  induce  them  to  leave  the  abundance  they 
were  enjoying  with  their  parents,  to  come  to  the 
privations  of  the  Mission  ?  I  know  of  no  other 
than  their  desire  to  be  instructed  in  order  to  make 
their  first  Communion.  They  knew  well  enough 
that  I  had  nothing  to  give  them  but  the  bread  of 
the  Divine  Word.  For,  be  it  said,  by  the  way, 
although  I  give  catechism  three  hundred  times  a 
year,  I  doubt  whether  there  is  a  catechist  in  the 
world  more  utterly  deprived  of  the  means  of  en 
couraging  his  pupils.  Some  prayer-beads  would 
have  been  a  great  reward,  but  I  could  give  them 
nothing  but  a  medal  to  each  as  a  memorial  of  their 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  65 

first  communion.  I  was  almost  tempted  to  regret 
my  poverty.  In  Europe  there  are  many  pious  souls 
to  encourage  poor  children  in  like  circumstances, 
but  here,  on  the  borders  of  the  world,  want  has  no 
witness  but  the  missionary,  who  can  give  it  only 
his  sighs.  The  mines  have  ruined  us,  and  it  is 
precisely  when  prices  have  doubled,  that  our  re 
sources  have  diminished,  so  that  instead  of  giving 
catechism,  one  is  often  obliged  to  rack  one's  brains 
to  make  both  ends  meet.  All  that  I  have  said  of 
my  dear  children  is  the  exact  truth,  without  exag 
geration.  I  am  no  poet.  However,  I  begin  to  fear 
that  I  shall  be  reminded  of  the  fable  of  the  owl  and 
the  eagle ;  so,  though  I  have  much  yet  to  tell,  I 
will  stop  here. 

However  I  cannot  but  beg  you,  and  those  to 
whom  you  may  communicate  these  lines,  to  recom 
mend  these  dear  children  to  our  Lady  of  Fourvieres, 
that  she  may  obtain  for  them  the  gift  of  perse 
verance.  They  are  exposed  to  many  dangers.  Not 
to  speak  of  others,  strong  liquors  have  already 
found  their  way  into  the  neighboring  tribes  :  and  I 
know  that  the  wretches  who  make  it  their  business 
thus  to  ruin  the  poor  savages,  boast  that  our  people 
will  not  be  able  to  resist  the  temptation  more  than 
the  others.  If  their  infernal  predictions  should  be 
realized,  you  may  see  me  again  one  day  in  Europe. 

I  do  not  know  to  whom  to  address  myself  to 
convey  our  thanks  to  the  Ladies  of  the  Sacred 
(5* 


66  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

Heart.  "We  received,  some  years  since,  two  sets  of 
very  fine  vestments,  for  our  Church  of  the  Sacred 
Heart,  from  some  unknown  benefactors.  I  have 
just  learned  that  the  present  was  from  those  ladies, 
but  I  know  not  of  what  House.  By  the  way,  no 
one  sees  our  church  without  testifying  his  astonish 
ment.  It  is  entirely  the  work  of  the  Indians,  except 
the  altars.  It  is  a  magnificent  monument  to  the 
faith  of  the  Co3ur-d'Alenes,  who  have  given  the  lie 
to  their  name  by  its  erection.  If  it  were  finished, 
it  w-ould  be  a  handsome  church  even  in  Europe. 
The  design  is  by  Father  Ravalli.  It  is  90  feet  long 
by  40  wide.  It  has  28  pillars,  21  feet  square  by 
25  feet  in  height.  All  the  rest  is  of  timber,  and 
in  proportion.  It  was  all  cut,  raised,  and  roofed  by 
the  savages,  under  the  direction  of  a  Father ;  they 
also  filled  it  in,  and  built  the  foundation-walls, 
which  are  from  two  to  five  feet  high,  and  of  propor 
tionate  thickness.  The  Indians  brought  the  stones 
from  a  distance  of  eight  hundred  feet,  did  all  the 
mason  work,  and  would  accept  no  recompense.  It 
is  a  great  grief  to  us  that  we  cannot  finish  it. 
There  are  two  fine  altars,  with  handsome  pictures 
of  the  Sacred  Heart  and  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  but 
all  the  rest  is  naked,  without  doors,  windows,  or 
flooring,  and  not  being  framed  in  on  the  outside,  I 
fear  it  will  rot  before  it  is  completed.  The  neophytes 
have  done  their  best :  but  in  the  absence  of  resources, 
we  cannot  continue  the  work. 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  67 


LETTER  OF  FATHER  DE  SMET. 

ST.  Louis,  Nov.  1,  1859. 
REVEREND  AND  DEAR  FATHER : 

In  accordance  with  your  request,  I  proceed  with 
great  pleasure  to  give  you  some  details  of  my  recent 
journey. 

On  the  20th  of  May,  1858,  I  set  out  from  St. 
Louis  for  the  western  portion  of  North  America, 
and  after  an  absence  of  about  sixteen  months,  I 
returned  to  the  point  from  whence  I  set  out.  During 
this  interval,  I  had  accompanied,  as  chaplain,  an 
army  sent  out  by  the  United  States  against  the 
Mormons  and  the  savages.  I  propose  to  give  you 
some  details  of  this  double  expedition.  Not  to 
fatigue  you,  I  will  endeavor  to  be  brief.  At  best, 
however,  my  narrative  will  fill  some  pages,  as  my 
recent  voyage  has  been  very  long.  It  exceeded 
fifteen  thousand  English  miles,  or  five  thousand 
leagues.  I  propose  then  to  give  you  some  details 
in  regard  to  the  different  countries  I  have  traversed, 
and  the  seas  I  have  crossed,  and  of  my  visit  to  the 
savage  tribes,  my  dear  spiritual  children  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  the  Coeur-d'Alenes,  Kalispels, 
Pends-d'Oreilles,  Flatheads,  and  Koetenays;  of  my 


68  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

stay  among  the  different  tribes  of  the  Great  Plains 
of  the  Upper  Missouri,  and  of  the  manner  in  which 
my  time  was  spent  in  the  army  of  the  United  States 
in  quality  of  chaplain,  and  envoy  extraordinary  of 
that  Government.  These  details,  I  venture  to  hope, 
will  not  be  without  interest  for  you,  and  they  will 
form  the  subject  of  my  little  sketch. 

Several  years  have  passed,  since  the  Mormons, 
that  terrible  sect  of  modern  fanatics,  flying  from 
civilization,  settled  in  the  midst  of  an  uninhabited 
wilderness.  With  hearts  full  of  hate  and  bitter 
ness,  they  never  ceased  on  every  occasion  which 
presented  itself,  to  agitate  the  country,  provoke 
the  inhabitants,  and  commit  acts  of  robbery  and 
murder  against  many  travellers  and  adventurers 
from  the  United  States.  In  September,  1857,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  emigrants  from  Arkansas, 
men,  women,  and  children,  are  said  to  have  been 
horribly  massacred  by  the  Mormons,  in  a  place 
called  the  Mountain  Meadows.  These  fanatics 
never  ceased  to  defy  the  government,  and  announced 
that  the  day  had  arrived  to  avenge  the  death  of 
their  prophet,  Joseph  and  his  brother,  and  to  retal 
iate  the  wrongs  and  acts  of  injustice  and  cr\ielty  of 
which  they  pretended  to  have  been  the  victims  in 
the  States  of  Missouri  and  Illinois,  whence  they  had 
been  forcibly  expelled  by  the  inhabitants. 

On  two  different  occasions,  the  governor  and 
subaltern  officers,  sent  by  the  President  of  the 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  69 

United  States,  had  met  with  such  strong  opposition 
from  the  Mormons  in  the  attempt  to  accomplish 
their  respective  duties,  that  they  were  forced  to 
quit  the  Territory  of  Utah,  and  to  return  to  lay 
their  complaints  before  the  President.  Congress 
resolved*  to  send  a  third  governor,  accompanied, 
this  time,  by  two  thousand  soldiers,  who  were  to  be 
followed  by  from  two  to  four  thousand  others  in  the 
following  spring  of  1858.  I  accompanied  the  last- 
named  expedition.  On  the  15th  of  May,  1858,  the 
Minister  of  War  wrote  to  me  as  follows : — 

"The  President  is  desirous  to  engage  you  to 
attend  the  army  for  Utah,  to  officiate  as  chaplain. 
In  his  opinion  your  services  would  be  important  in 
many  respects  to  the  public  interest,  particularly  in 
the  present  condition  of  our  affairs  in  Utah.  Hav 
ing  sought  information  as  to  the  proper  person  to 
be  thus  employed  his  attention  has  been  directed 
to  you,  and  he  has  instructed  me  to  address  you  on 
the  subject,  in  the  hope  that  you  may  consider  it 
not  incompatible  with  your  clerical  duties  or  your 
personal  feelings  to  yield  to  his  request,"  &c. 

The  Reverend  Father  Provincial  and  all  the 
other  consultors,  considering  the  circumstances, 
expressed  themselves  in  favor  of  my  accepting.  I 
immediately  set  out  for  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas 
Territory,  to  join  the  army  at  that  point.  On  the 
very  day  of  my  arrival,  I  took  my  place  in  the 
Seventh  Regiment,  composed  of  eight  hundred  men 


70  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

under  the  command  of  the  excellent  Colonel  Morri 
son,  whose  ^staff  was  composed  of  a  numerous  body 
of  superior  officers  of  the  line  and  engineers.  Gen 
eral  Harney,  the  cornmander-in-chief,  and  one  of 
the  most  distinguished  and  most  valiant  generals  of 
the  United  States,  with  great  courtesy,  installed  me 
himself  in  my  post.  The  brave  colonel,  though  a 
Protestant,  thanked  him  very  heartily.  "  General," 
said  he,  "  I  thought  myself  highly  honored  when 
intrusted  with  the  command  of  the  engineers:  to 
have  attached  to  my  command  a  representative  of 
the  ancient  and  venerable  Church,  I  hold  as  an 
additional  favor."  General  Harney  then  shook 
hands  with  me,  with  great  kindness,  bade  me  wel 
come  to  the  army,  and  assured  me  that  I  should  be 
left  perfectly  free  in  the  exercise  of  my  holy  minis 
try  among  the  soldiers.  He  kept  his  word  most 
loyally,  and  in  this  he  was  seconded  by  all  the 
officers.  During  the  whole  time  that  I  was  among 
them,  I  never  met  with  the  slightest  obstacle  in  the 
discharge  of  my  duties.  The  soldiers  had  always 
free  access  to  mv  tent  for  confession  and  instruction. 
I  had  frequently  the  consolation  of  celebrating  the 
holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  early  in  the  morning,  and 
on  each  occasion,  a  large  number  of  soldiers  de 
voutly  approached  the  holy  table. 

A  word  or  two  in  regard  to  the  character  of  the 
countries  through  which  we  passed,  will  perhaps  be 
agreeable  to  you.  I  left  Fort  Leavenworth  on  the 


IN7DIAN    SKETCHES.  71 

1st  of  June,  1858,  in  the  Seventh  Regiment,  com 
manded  by  the  worthy  Colonel  Morrison.  I  had 
an  opportunity  of  observing  with  admiration  the 
extraordinary  rapidity  of  the  progress  of  civilization 
in  Kansas.  A  space  of  276  miles  was  already 
in  great  part  occupied  by  white  settlers.  No 
further  back  than  1851,  at  the  time  of  my  return 
from  the  great  council,  held  on  the  borders  of  the 
Platte  or  Nebraska  river,  the  plains  of  Kansas  were 
almost  entirely  without  inhabitants,  containing  only 
a  few  scattered  villages  of  Indians,  living  for  the 
most  part  by  the  chase,  by  fishing,  and  on  wild 
fruits  and  roots.  But  eight  years  have  made  an 
entire  change :  many  towns  and  villages  have 
sprung  up,  as  it  were,  by  enchantment ;  forges  and 
mills  of  every  kind  are  already  very  numerous ; 
extensive  and  beautiful  farms  have  been  established 
in  all  directions  with  extraordinary  rapidity  and 
industry.  The  face  of  the  country  is  entirely 
changed.  In  1851,  the  antelope,  the  wild  deer,  and 
the  wild  goat,  bounded  at  liberty  over  these  exten 
sive  plains,  nor  is  it  much  longer  ago  that  these 
fields  were  the  pasture  of  enormous  herds  of  buffa 
loes  ;  to-day  they  are  in  the  possession  of  numerous 
droves  of  horned  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs,  horses  and 
mules.  The  fertile  soil  rewards  a  hundredfold  the 
labors  of  the  husbandman.  Wheat,  corn,  barley, 
oats,  flax,  hemp,  all  sorts  of  garden  stuff  and  all  the 
fruits  of  the  temperate  zone,  are  produced  there  in 


72  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

abundance.  Emigration  tends  thither,  and  com 
merce  follows  in  its  tracks  and  acquires  new  impor 
tance  every  day. 

Leavenworth  is  the  principal  town  of  Kansas 
Territory.  It  contains  already  about  ten  thousand 
souls,  though  it  has  sprung  into  existence  within 
the  last  six  years.  It  is  beautifully  and  advantage 
ously  situated  on  the  Missouri  river.  It  has  a 
bishop,  two  Catholic  churches,  a  convent  with  a 
boarding-school  and  a  day-school.  There  are  al 
ready  fifteen  churches,  twenty-three  stations,  sixteen 
priests,  five  religious  communities,  and  four  manual- 
labor  schools  for  the  Osage  and  Potawatomie  In 
dians,  which  are  under  the  care  of  our  Fathers  and 
Religious  Ladies  of  different  orders. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  Territory  is  not  thickly 
wooded :  the  surface  of  the  country,  as  a  general 
thing,  is  rolling  and  well  adapted  to  agriculture ;  it 
is  not  unlike  the  billows  of  a  vast  ocean,  suddenly 
arrested  in  its  flow  and  converted  into  solid  land. 
The  air  is  fresh  and  wholesome.  As  one  rises  with 
the  elevations  of  the  soil,  the  graceful  undulation  of 
the  alternating  vale  and  hill  contrast  admirably  with 
the  waving  lines  of  walnut  trees,  oaks,  and  poplars, 
which  mark  the  course  of  each  little  river.  The 
banks  of  each  stream  are  generally  more  or  less 
thickly  wooded.  We  ascended  the  valley  of  the 
Little  Blue  for  three  days,  making  a  distance  of 
fifty -three  miles.  The  names  of  the  principal  plants 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  73 

which  attract  the  attention  of  the  botanist  in  the 
plains  of  Kansas,  are  :  the  anothera,  with  its  brilliant 
yellow  flowers,  the  amorpha  and  artemisia,  the 
commelina,  the  blue  and  purple  Ivpin,  different  forms 
and  species  of  cactus,  the  pradescantia,  the  mimosa, 
and  the  white  mimulus.  The  waters  of  the  Little 
Blue  are  left  at  a  distance  of  275  miles  from  Fort 
Leavenworth.  Continuing  the  route  from  that 
point,  you  cross  elevated  prairies  of  a  distance  of 
twenty-six  miles,  and  enter  the  great  valley  of  the 
Nebraska  or  Platte  river,  at  the  distance  of  fifteen 
miles  from  Fort  Kearney.  This  river,  up  to  its  two 
forks,  is  about  three  thousand  yards  wide  ;  its  waters 
are  yellowish  and  muddy  in  the  spring  freshets,  and 
resemble  those  of  the  Missouri  and  the  Mississippi ;. 
it  is  not  so  deep  as  those  streams ;  its  current  is 
very  rapid.  Fort  Kearney  is  rather  insignificant. 
It  consists  of  three  or  four  frame  houses  and  several 
made  of  adobes,  a  kind  of  coarse  brick  baked  in  the 
sun.  The  Government  has  a  military  post  there 
for  the  tranquillity  of  the  country,  and  to  provide 
for  the  safety  of  travellers  crossing  the  desert  to  go* 
to  California,  Oregon,  and  the  Territories  of  Utah 
and  Washington. 

A  great  number  of  Pawnee  Indians  were  encamped 
at  a  little  distance  from  the  Fort.  I  came  near 
witnessing  a  battle  between  them  and  a  war  party 
of  Arapahoes,  who,  favored  by  the  night,  had  suc 
ceeded  in  approaching  the  camp  unseen  almost  forty 


74  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

strong.  The  Pa'wnees  had  just  let  their  horses 
loose  at  break  of  day,  when  the  enemy,  with  loud 
cries,  rushed  into  the  drove,  and  carried  away  many 
hundreds  with  them  at  full  gallop.  The  alarm 
immediately  spread  throughout  the  camp.  The 
Pawnees,  indifferently  armed  and  almost  naked, 
r.ushed  to  the  pursuit  of  the  Arapahoes,  caught  up 
with  them,  and  a  combat  more  noisy  than  bloody 
took  place.  A  young  Pawnee  chief,  the  most 
impetuous  of  his  band,  was  killed  and  three  of  his 
companions  wounded.  The  Arapahoes  lost  one 
killed  and  many  wounded.  Desirous  to  stop  the 
combat,  I  hurried  to  the  scene  of  battle  with  an 
aid-de-camp  of  the  general,  but  all  was  over  when 
we  arrived  ;  the  Pawnees  were  returning  with  their 
dead  and  wounded  and  all  the  stolen  horses.  On 
their  return  to  camp,  nothing  was  heard  but  cries 
of  sorrow,  rage,  and  despair,  with  threats  and  vo 
ciferations  against  their  enemies.  It  was  a  harrow 
ing  scene.  The  deceased  warrior  was  decorated 
and  painted  with  all  the  marks  of  distinction  of  a 
•great  brave,  and  loaded  with  his  finest  ornaments. 
They  placed  him  in  the  grave  amid  the  acclamations 
and  lamentations  of  the  whole  tribe. 

The  next  day  the  Pavvnee-Loups  invited  me  to 
their  camp.  I  found  there  two  French  Creoles,  old 
acquaintances  of  mine,  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
They  received  me  with  the  greatest  kindness,  and 
'desired  to  act  as  my  interpreters.  I  had  a  long 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  75 

conference  on  religion  with  these  poor,  unhappy 
savages.  They  listened  with  the  most  earnest 
attention.  After  the  instruction  they  presented  to 
me  208  little  children,  and  very  earnestly  begged 
me  to  regenerate  them  in  the  holy  waters  of  bap 
tism.  These  savages  have  been  the  terror  of  trav 
ellers  obliged  to  pass  through  their  territory ;  for 
many  years  their  character  has  been  that  of  thieves, 
drunkards,  and  ruffians,  and  they  are  brutalized  by 
drink,  which  they  readily  obtain,  owing  to  their 
proximity  to  the  frontiers  of  civilization.  This 
accursed  traffic  has  always  and  everywhere  been 
the  ruin  of  the  Indian  tribes,  and  it  leads  to  their 
rapid  extinction. 

Two  days'  march  above  Fort  Kearney,  at  a  place 
called  Cotton  wood  Springs,  I  found  thirty  lodges  of 
Ogallallas,  a  Sioux  or  Dacotah  tribe.  At  their 
request  I  baptized  all  their  children.  In  1851,  at 
the  Great  Council  on  the  Platte,  I  had  brought 
them  the  same  blessing.  They  told  me  that  a 
great  number  of  their  children  had  died  since,  car 
ried  off  by  epidemics,  which  had  raged  among  the 
nomadic  tribes  of  the  plains.  They  are  much 
consoled  at  the  thought  of  the  happiness  which 
children  obtain  by  holy  baptism.  They  know  its 
high  importance,  and  appreciate  it  as  the  greatest 
favor  which  they  can  receive. 

General  Harney  had  many  friendly  conferences 
with  the  Pawnees,  the  Ogallallas,  and  the  Sheyennes, 


76  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

in  which  he  strongly  advised  them  to  cease  molest 
ing  the  whites  who  might  pass  through  their  bor 
ders,  adding  that  on  this  condition  alone  could  they 
remain  at  peace  with  the  .United  States. 

I  have  so  often  spoken  of  the  buffalo  in  my 
letters,  that  this  time  I  might  pass  him  by  in  silence. 
However,  I  will  mention  it  for  the  purpose  of  saying 
that  the  race  is  not  extinct  in  these  parts,  though  it  is 
becoming  more  rare  to  find  buffaloes  on  the  high 
way  across  the  plains,  which  its  instinct  must  have 
taught  it  to  avoid.  We  met  our  first  herds  of  this 
noble  animal  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Kearney. 
The  sight  created  great  excitement  among  those 
soldiers  who  had  not  visited  the  plains  before,  and 
they  burned  to  bring  down  one  or  two.  Armed,  as 
they  were,  with  the  famous  Minie  rifles,  they  might 
have  made  a  good  hunt,  had  they  not  been  on  foot, 
while  the  buffaloes  were  at  full  gallop ;  it  was, 
therefore,  impossible  to  get  near  them.  They  fired, 
however,  at  a  distance  of  two  hundred  or  three 
hundred  yards.  A  single  buffalo  was  wounded  in 
the  leg.  Its  wound  compelled  it  to  lag  behind,  and 
he  became  the  target  of  all  our  men.  A  confused 
sound  of  cries  and  rifle  shots  arose,  as  if  the  last 
hour  had  come  for  the  last  buffalo.  Riddled  with 
balls,  his  tongue  lolling  out,  the  blood  streaming 
from  his  throat  and  nostrils,  the  poor  brute  fell  at 
last.  To  cut  him  up  and  distribute  the  meat  was 
the  work  of  a  moment.  Never  was  buffalo  more 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  7*7 

rapidly  transformed  into  steak  and  soup, — everv 
one  would  have  his  piece. 

While  these  things  were  going  on,  Captain  P , 

mounted  on  a  fine  horse,  apjfroached  a  bull,  already 
terrified  by  the  rifle  shots  and  the  terrible  noise  of 
our  soldiers,  who  were  novices  to  the  chase,  and 
fired  at  him  twice  almost  point  blank.  The  buffalo 
and  the  horse  stopped  at  the  same  instant.  In 

spite  of  all  his  efforts,  Captain  P could  not 

make  his  horse,  unaccustomed  to  the  hunt,  advance 
a  single  step,  and  the  furious  buffalo  plunged  both 
horns  into  his  flank  and  threw  him  down  dead.  In 
this  critical  moment  the  courageous  rider  did  not 
lose  his  presence  of  mind  :  he  leaped  from  his  horse 
over  the  buffalo's  back,  gave  him  two  more  bullets 
from  his  six-shooter,  and  completely  baffled  him. 
The  captain  then  fled  to  a  gully,  which  was  luckily 
both  deep  and  near  at  hand.  The  buffalo,  unable  to 
follow  him,  abandoned  his  persecutor,  who  returned 
to  camp  with  his  horse's  saddle  on  his  back.  A 
horse  must  be  well  trained  to  hunt  the  buffalo,  and 
must  be  trained  specially  for  buffalo  hunting  :  other 
wise  the  danger  is  very  great,  and  the  consequence 
may  be  fatal. 

During  the  months  of  June  and  July,  tempests 
and  falls  of  rain  and  hail  are  very  frequent,  and 
almost  of  daily  occurrence,  towards  evening  in  the 
valley  of  the  Platte,  which  is  the  country  of  storms 
and  whirlwinds  par  excellence.  The  gathering  of 
7* 


78  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

these  storms  can  be  noticed  at  a  great  distance,  as  at 
sea.  At  first,  light  spots  of  clouds  are  observed  on 
the  horizon,  which  are  followed  by  dark  masses 
of  cloud,  which  move  along  in  succession,  crowding 
one  upon  another,  and  spreading  over  the  sky  with 
extraordinary  rapidity,  they  approach  and  cross 
each  other ;  they  burst  and  pour  forth  torrents  ot 
water,  which  drench  the  valleys,  or  volleys  of  hail 
which  crush  the  herbs  and  flowers;  the  storm- 
clouds  then  disappear  as  rapidly  as  they  have  come. 
"  Every  evil  has  its  remedy,"  says  the  old  proverb, 
and  these  hurricanes,  storms,  and  heavy  rains,  serve 
the  purpose  of  cooling  and  purifying  the  atmos 
phere,  which  at  this  season  would  become  insup 
portable  but  for  this  circumstance.  The  mercury 
often  rises  to  one  hundred  degrees  of  Fahrenheit  in 
the  shade.  The  water  does  riot  rest  long  on  the 
•surface  of  the  soil :  it  is  absorbed  almost  as  it  falls, 
•on  account  of  the  very  porous  character  of  the 
earth  of  the  valley  and  its  sandy  bottom.  Travel 
lers,  in  camps  a  little  removed  from  the  river, 
always  d\<f  wells;  the  water  is  everywhere  found  at 
a  depth  of  two  or  three  feet.  This  water,  though 
cold  and  clear,  must  be  unwholesome,  and  frequently 
causes  severe  sickness.  Graves  abound  in  these 
regions,  and  the  mortal  remains  of  a  vast  number 
•of  emigrants  repose  there.  With  these  emigrants 
have  also  sunk  beneath  the  valley  of  the  Plattc 
that  ardent  thirst  for  gold,  those  desires  and  am- 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  79 

bitious  projects  for  wealth,  greatness,  and  pleasure, 
which  devoured  them,  and  drove  them  towards  the 
distant  regions  of  California,  Pike's  Peak,  and 
Frazer.  Death  met  them  far  from  their  Penates, 
and  they  are  buried  in  these  desert  strands.  How 
uncertain  are  the  affairs  of  this  world  !  Man  makes 
his  plans ;  he  builds  his  castles  in  the  air ;  he  counts 
upon  a  future  which  does  not  belong  to  him  :  he 
proposes,  but  God  disposes,  and  cuts  the  thread  of 
life  in  the  midst  of  these  vain  hopes. 

The  most  remarkable  thing  that  I  met  on  this 
occasion  on  the  highway  of  the  prairies,  ordinarily 
so  lonely,  were  the  long  wagon  trains  engaged  in 
transporting  to  Utah  provisions  and  stores  of  war. 
If  the  journals  of  the  day  may  be  believed,  these 
cost  the  Government  fifteen  millions.  Each  train 
consisted  of  twenty-six  wagons,  each  wagon  drawn 
by  six  yoke  of  oxen,  and  containing  near  five 
thousand  pounds.  The  Quarter-master-general  made 
the  calculation,  and  told  me  that  the  whole  train 
would  make  a  line  of  about  fifty  miles.  We  passed 
every  day  some  wagons  of  this  immense  train. 
Each  wagon  marked  with  a  name  as  in  the  case  of 
ships,  and  these  names  served  to  furnish  amusement 
to  the  passer-by ;  the  caprices  of  the  captains  in 
this  respect  having  imposed  upon  the  wagons  such 
names  as  the  Constitution,  the  President,  the  Great 
Republic,  the  King  of  Bavaria,  Lola  Monies,  Louis 
Napoleon,  Dan.  0?  Conndl,  Old  Kentuck,  &c.,  &c. 


80  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

These  were  daubed  in  great  letters  on  each  side  of 
the  carnage.  On  the  plains,  the  wagoner  assumes 
the  style  of  captain,  being  placed  in  command  of 
his  wagon  and  twelve  oxen.  The  master-wagoner 
is  admiral  of  this  little  land-fleet :  he  has  control  of 
26  captains  and  312  oxen.  At  a  distance,  the 
white  awnings  of  the  wagons  have  the  effect  of  a 
fleet  of  vessels  with  all  canvas  spread. 

On  leaving  Leaven  worth  the  drivers  look  well 
enough,  being  all  in  new  clothes,  but  as  they  ad 
vance  into  the  plains,  their  good  clothes  become 
travel-stained  and  torn,  and  at  last  are  converted 
into  rags.  The  captains  have  hardly  proceeded 
two  hundred  miles,  before  their  trail  is  marked 
with  rags,  scattered  and  flying  along  the  route. 
You  may  often  remark  also  on  the  various  camping 
grounds,  even  as  far  as  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
beyond,  the  wrecks  of  wagons  and  the  skeletons 
of  oxen,  but  especially  the  remains  of  the  wardrobe 
of  the  traveller :  legs  of  pantaloons  and  drawers,  a 
shirt-bosom,  the  back  or  the  arm  of  a  flannel  vest, 
stockings  out  at  toe  and  heel,  crownless  hats,  and 
shoes  worn  through  in  the  soles  or  uppers,  are 
strewed  along  the  route.  These  deserted  camps 
are  also  marked  by  packs  of  cards  strewed  round 
among  broken  jars  and  bottles ;  here  you  see  a 
gridiron,  a  coffee-pot,  or  a  tin  bowl ;  there  a  cooking- 
stove  and  the  fragments  of  a  shaving-dish,  all  worn 
out  and  cast  aside.  The  poor  Indians  regard  these 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  81 

signs  of  encroaching  civilization  "\vitli  an  unquiet 
eye  as  they  pass  them  on  their  way.  These  rags 
and  refuse  are  to  them  the  harbingers  of  the  ap 
proach  of  a  dismal  future  for  themselves  ;  they 
announce  to  them  that  the  plains  and  forests  over 
which  they  roam  in  the  chase,  their  beautiful  lakes 
and  rivers  swarming  with  fish,  and  the  repair  of 
numerous  aquatic  birds ;  the  hearth  which  witnessed 
their  birth,  and  the  soil  which  covers  the  ashes  of 
their  fathers, — all,  in  fine,  that  is  most  dear  to  them, 
— are  about  to  pass  into  the  hands  of  the  rapacious 
white  man  :  and  they,  poor  mortals,  accustomed  to 
roam  at  large,  and  over  a  vast  space,  free  like  the 
birds  of  the  air,  will  be  inclosed  in  narrow  reserves, 
far  from  their  cherished  hunting  grounds  and  fine 
fisheries,  far  from  their  fields  of  roots  and  fruits;  or 
driven  back  into  the  mountains  or  to  unknown 
shores.  It  is  not  surprising,  then,  that  the  savage 
seeks  sometimes  to  revenge  himself  on  the  white 
man  ;  it  is  rarely,  however,  that  he  is  the  aggressor  : 
surely,  not  once  out  of  ten  provoking  cases. 

The  wagons  are  formed  every  evening  into  a 
corral.  That  is,  the  whole  twenty-six  are  ranged  in 
a  circle,  and  chained  one  to  the  other,  so  as  to 
leave  only  one  opening,  to  give  passage  to  the 
beasts,  which  pass  the  night  in  the  centre,  and  are 
guarded  there  by  several  sentinels  under  arms. 
Under  the  protection  of  a  small  number  of  deter 
mined  men,  the  wagons  and  animals  SKQ  secure 


82  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

from  any  attack  of  undisciplined  Indians,  in  how 
ever  great  numbers.  When  the  travellers  neglect 
this  precaution,  and  camp  at  random,  not  unfrc- 
quently  a  hostile  band  of  Indians  will  provoke  what 
is  called  a  stampede,  or  panic  among  the  cattle,  and 
carry  them  all  off  at  once.  The  travellers  go  into 
camp  early,  and  at  break  of  day  the  beasts  are  let 
loose  in  the  prairie  that  they  may  have  plenty  of 
time  to  graze.  Grass  is  very  abundant  in  the  valley 
of  the  Platte,  and  on  the  neighboring  acclivities. 

Between  Fort  Kearney  and  the  crossing  of  the 
South  Fork  of  the  Platte,  we  met  over  a  hundred 
families  of  Mormons  on  their  way  to  Kansas  and 
Missouri,  with  the  intention  of  settling  there.  They 
appeared  delighted  at  being  fortunate  enough  to 
leave,  safe  and  sound,  the  famous  promised  land  of 
Utah;  thanks  to  the  influence  of  the  new  governor, 
and  the  presence  of  the  United  States  troops.  They 
told  us  that  a  great  number  of  other  families  would 
follow  them,  so  soon  as  they  should  be  capable  of 
doing  so,  and  of  procuring  the  necessary  means  for 
the  journey.  They  confessed  that  they  would  have 
escaped  long  before,  had  they  not  been  afraid  of 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Danites,  or  Destroying 
Angels.  These  compose  the  body-guard  of  the 
Prophet;  they  are  said  to  be  entirely  and  blindly 
at  his  disposal,  to  carry  out  all  his  plans,  meet  all 
his  wishes,  and  execute  all  his  measures,  which 
often  involve  robbery  and  murder.  Before  the 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  83 

arrival  of  the  United  States  soldiers,  woe  to  any 
one  who  manifested  a  desire  to  leave  Utah,  or 
abandon  the  sect ;  woe  to  him  who  dared  to  raise  a 
voice  against  the  actions  of  the  Prophet, — they 
rarely  escaped  the  poniards  of  these  Destroying 
Angels,  or  rather  incarnate  demons. 

The  highway  of  the  plains,  during  the  beautiful 
season  of  1858,  appeared,  as  it  were,  invaded  by  an 
unusual  and  joyous  animation.  To  complete  the 
idea  which  I  have  just  given,  I  will  add  that  couriers 
and  express  messengers,  coming  and  returning, 
constantly  crossed  each  other  on  the  road.  The 
different  companies  of  the  army  left  a  space  of  two 
or  three  days'  journey  between  them.  Each  com 
pany  was  followed  by  ambulances  for  the  use  of  the 
superior  officers,  a  body  of  artillery  and  engineers, 
and  a  train  of  wagons,  with  six  mules  each,  trans 
porting  provisions  and  baggage.  Each  company 
was  followed  also  by  an  immense  drove  of  six  or 
seven  hundred  horned  cattle,  to  furnish  their  daily 
food.  Uncle  Sam,  as  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  is  called,  has  a  truly  paternal  heart ;  he  pro 
vides  abundantly  for  the  wants  of  the  defenders  of 
the  country,  and  will  not  suffer  them  to  want  their 
comforts. 

Every  thing  was  going  on  admirably  and  in  good 
order.  The  commanding  general  and  staff  were 
already  at  the  crossing  of  the  south  branch  of  the 
Platte,  480  miles  from  Fort  Leaven  worth,  when  he 


84  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

received  the  news  that  the  Mormons  had  submitted, 
or  laid  down  their  arms,  and  at  the  same  time  an 
order  to  distribute  his  troops  to  other  points,  and 
return  to  the  United  States.  This  also  changed  my 
destination ;  the  conclusion  of  peace  put  an  end  to 
my  little  diplomatic  mission  to  the  Indian  tribes  of 
Utah.  I  consulted  with  the  general,  and  accom 
panied  him  on  his  return  to  Leavenworth. 

The  South  Fork  of  the  Platte,  at  the  crossing,  is 
2045  feet  wide.  In  the  month  of  July,  its  depth  is 
generally  about  three  feet,  after  the  junction  of  the 
two  forks,  the  width  is  about  3000  yards.  The 
bottom,  throughout  the  whole  length,  is  sandy. 

I  could  say  much,  dear  Father,  about  the  country 
between  Leavenworth  and  the  South  Pass  of  the 
Platte,  its  botanical  and  other  properties  and  pro 
ductions,  but  I  have  spoken  of  these  on  many 
occasions  in  my  letters  describing  other  journeys 
across  this  region.  The  little  incidents  mentioned 
in  this  letter  are  all  connected  with  my  last  trip. 

Before  leaving  Fort  Leavenworth  for  St.  Louis,  I 
made  a  little  excursion  of  seventy  miles  to  visit  our 
dear  Fathers  and  Brothers  of  the  Mission  of  St. 
Mary  among  the  Pottawatomies.  I  at  last  reached 
St.  Louis  in  the  beginning  of  September,  after  a 
first  absence  of  about  three  months,  and  after  a 
journey,  to  and  fro,  of  1976  miles.  My  stay  in  St. 
Louis  was  short.  I  will,  in  my  next  letter,  give 
you  details,  which  will  inform  you  as  to  the  partic- 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  85 

ulars  of  the  long  expedition  of  which  I  speak  in  the 
first  part  of  this  letter. 

Receive,  Reverend  and  Dear  Father,  the  expres 
sion  of  those  sentiments  of  respect  and  affection 
which  you  know  I  entertain  for  you,  and  let  me 
recommend  myself  very  specially  to  your  holy 
sacrifices  and  good  prayers, 

your  Reverence's  servant  in  Christ, 

P.  J.  DE  SMET,  S.  J. 


86  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 


LETTER  OF  FATHER  DE  SMET. 

ST.  Louis,  Nov.  10,  1859. 
REVEREND  AND  DEAR  FATHER : 

In  accordance  with  my  promise,  I  resume  the 
little  story  of  my  long  voyage.  On  my  return  to 
St.  Louis,  I  tendered. to  the  Minister  of  War  my 
resignation  of  the  post  of  chaplain.  It  was  not 
accepted,  because  a  new  war  had  just  broken,  out 
against  the  Government,  among  the  tribes  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  I  was  notified  by  telegraph  to 
proceed  to  New  York,  and  to  embark  there  with 
General  Harney  and  his  staff. 

On  the  20th  of  September,  1858,  we  left  the  port 
of  New  York  for  Aspinwall ;  it  was  the  season  of 
the  equinox,  so  that  we  experienced  some  rough 
weather  in  the  voyage,  and  a  heavy  wind  among 
the  Bahamas.  We  coasted  for  some  time  along 
the  eastern  shore  of  Cuba,  in  sight  of  the  promonto 
ries  of  St.  Domingo  and  Jamaica.  On  the  29th  I 
crossed  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  on  a  good  railroad, 
forty-seven  miles  long.  The  next  day  I  had  the 
happiness  to  offer  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  in 
the  cathedral  of  Panama.  The  bishop  very  earnest 
ly  entreated  me  to  use  my  influence  with  the  Very 
Reverend  Father  General  at  Rome,  to  obtain  for 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  87 

him  a  colony  of  Jesuits.  His  lordship  especially 
expressed  his  earnest  desire  to  intrust  his  ecclesias 
tical  seminary  to  the  care  of  the  Society  of  Jesus. 
New  Granada,  as  well  as  many  other  regions  of 
Spanish  South  America,  offers,  doubtless,  a  vast 
field  to  the  zeal  of  a  large  number  of  our  Fathers. 

The  distance  from  Panama  to  San  Francisco  is 
more  than  three  thousand  miles.  The  steamer 
brought  to  in  the  superb  bay  of  Acapulco  to  receive 
the  mails,  and  to  coal  and  water :  this  is  a  little 
port  of  Mexico.  On  the  evening  of  the  16th  of 
October,  I  arrived  at  San  Fpancisco,  happy  to  find 
myself  in  a  house  of  the  Society,  and  in  the  com 
pany  of  many  of  my  brethren  in  Jesus  Christ,  who 
loaded  me  with  kindness,  and  all  the  attention  of 
the  most  cordial  charity.  The  "  quam  bonum  et 
jucundum  kabitare  fratrcs  in  vnitm"  is  especially 
appreciated,  when  one  leaves  a  California  steamer 
in  which  one  has  been  imprisoned,  sometimes  with 
fourteen  or  fifteen  hundred  individuals,  all  laboring 
under  the  gold  fever,  and  who  think  and  speak  of 
nothing  but  mines  of  gold,  and  all  the  terrestrial  de 
lights  which  this  gold  is  shortly  to  procure  them. 
However,  the  "  shortly"  is  long  enough  to  allow  of 
the  destruction  or  disappearance  of  many  an  illu 
sion.  "  All  that  glitters  is  not  gold." 

We  left  San  Francisco  on  the  20th,  and  in  a  few- 
days  made  more  than  one  thousand  miles  to  Fort 
Vancouver,  on  the  Columbia  river.  The  news  of 


88  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

the  cessation  of  hostilities,  and  of  the  submission  of 
the  tribes,  had  been  received  at  Vancouver.  The 
task  remained  of  removing  the  Indian  prejudices, 
soothing  their  inquietude  and  alarm,  and  correcting, 
or  rather  refuting,  the  false  rumors  which  are  gen 
erally  spread  after  a  war,  and  which,  otherwise, 
might  be  the  cause  of  its  renewal. 

Under  the  orders  of  the  general  commanding  in 
chief,  I  left  Fort  Vancouver  on  the  29th  of  October, 
to  go  among  the  tribes  of  the  mountains,  at  a 
distance  of  about  eight  hundred  miles.  I  visited 
the  Catholic  soldiers  of  Forts  Dalle  City  and  Walla- 
walla  on  my  way.  At  the  last-named  fort,  I  had 
the  consolation  of  meeting  Reverend  F.  Congiato, 
on  his  return  from  his  visit  to  the  Missions,  and  of 
receiving  very  cheering  news  from  him  as  to  the 
disposition  of  the  Indians.  At  my  request,  the 
excellent  commandant  of  the  fort  had  the  very 
great  kindness  to  set  at  liberty  all  the  prisoners  and 
hostages,  both  Coeur-d'Alenes  and  Spokans,  and 
he  intrusted  to  my  charge  to  bring  them  on  their 
way,  and  return  them  to  their  respective  nations. 
These  good  Indians,  particularly  the  Coeur-d'Alenes, 
had  given  the  greatest  edification  to  the  soldiers 
during  their  captivity  :  these  men  often  approached 
them  with  admiration,  in  witnessing  the  perform 
ance  of  their  pious  exercises,  morning  and  evening, 
and  in  listening  to  their  prayers  and  hymns.  Dur 
ing  the  whole  journey,  these  good  Indians  testified 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  89 

the  utmost  gratitude  to  me,  and  their  punctual 
performance  of  their  religious  duties  was  a  source  of 
great  consolation  and  happiness  to  me. 

On  the  21st  of  November  I  arrived  at  the  Mission 
of  the  Sacred  Heart,  among  the  Coeur-d'Alenes.  * 
I  was  detained  at  the  Mission  by  the  snow  until  the 
18th  of  February,  1859.  During  this  interval  snow 
fell  with  more  or  less  abundance  for  forty-three 
days  and  nights,  on  seven  days  it  rained,  we  had 
twenty-one  cloudy  days,  and  sixteen  days  of  clear 
and  cold  weather.  I  left  the  Mission  on  the  18th 
of  February  with  the  Reverend  Father  Joset,  who 
accompanied  me  until  we  met  Father  Hoecken,  who 
had  promised  to  meet  us  on  Clarke's  River.  The 
ice,  snow,  rain,  and  winds,  impeded  very  much  oui 
coarse,  in  our  frail  canoes  of  bark,  on  the  rivers  and 
great  lakes:  we  often  ran  considerable  risk  in 
crossing  rapids  and  falls,  of  which  Clarke's  River  is 
full.  I  counted  thirty-four  of  these  in  seventy  miles. 
We  met  with  several  camps  of  Indians  in  winter- 
quarters  on  every  side.  On  the  approach  of  the 
winter  season,  they  are  obliged  to  scatter  in  the 
forests  and  along  the  lakes  and  rivers,  where  they 
live  by  the  chase  and  fishing.  They  received  us 
everywhere  with  the  greatest  kindness,  and,  not 
withstanding  their  extreme  poverty,  willingly  shared 
with  us  their  small  rations  and  meagre  provisions. 
They  eagerly  embraced  the  occasion  to  attend  to 
their  religious  duties  and  other  exercises  of  piety  : 
s* 


90  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

attending  at  the  instructions  with  great  attention, 
and  with  much  zeal  and  fervor,  at  Mass,  and  at 
morning  and  evening  prayers.  On  the  llth  of 
March  we  arrived  at  the  Mission  of  St.  Ignatius, 
among  the  Pends-d'Oreilles  of  the  mountains. 

The  Koetenays,  a  neighboring  tribe  to  the  Pends- 
d'Oreilles,  having  heard  of  my  arrival,  had  travelled 
many  clays'  journey  through  the  snow  to  shake 
hands  Avith  me,  to  bid  me  welcome,  and  manifest 
their  filial  affection.  In  1845  I  had  made  some 
stay  with  them.  I  was  the  first  priest  who  had 
announced  to  them  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation, 
and  I  had  baptized  all  their  little  children  and  a 
large  number  of  adults.  They  came  on  this  occa 
sion,  with  a  primitive  simplicity,  to  assure  me  that 
they  had  remained  faithful  to  prayer,  that  is,  to 
religion,  and  all  the  good  advice  that  they  had 
received.  All  the  Fathers  spoke  to  me  of  these 
good  Koetenays  in  the  highest  terms.  Fraternal 
union,  evangelic  simplicity,  innocence,  and  peace, 
still  reign  among  them  in  full  vigor.  Their  honesty 
is  so  great  and  so  well  known,  that  the  trader  leaves 
his  store-house  entirely,  the  door  remaining  unlocked 
often  during  his  absence  for  weeks.  The  Indians 
go  in  and  out,  and  help  themselves  to  what  they 
need,  and  settle  with  the  trader  on  his  return.  He 
assured  me  himself,  that  in  doing  business  with 
them  in  this  style  he  never  lost  the  value  of  a  pin. 

On  the   18th  of  March  I  crossed  deep  snow  a 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  91 

distance  of  seventy  miles,  to  St.  Mary's  valley,  to 
revisit  my  first  and  ancient  spiritual  children  of  the 
mountains,  the  poor  and  abandoned  Flatheads. 
They  were  greatly  consoled  on  learning  that  Very 
Rev.  Father  General  had  the  intention  of  causing 
the  mission  to  be  undertaken  again.  The  principal 
chiefs  assured  me  that  since  the  departure  of  the 
Fathers,  they  had  continued  to  assemble  morning 
and  evening  for  prayers,  to  ring  the  angelus  at  the 
accustomed  hour,  and  to  rest  on  Sunday,  to  glorify 
the  holy  day  of  our  Lord.  I  will  not  enter  into  long 
details  here,  as  to  the  present  dispositions  of  this 
little  tribe,  for  fear  of  being  too  long.  Doubtless,  in 
the  absence  of  the  missionaries,  the  enemy  of  souls 
has  committed  some  ravages  among  them,  but  by 
the  grace  of  God  the  evil  is  not  irreparable.  Their 
daily  practices  of  piety,  and  the  conferences  I  held 
with  them  during  several  days,  have  given  me  the 
consoling  conviction  that  the  faith  is  still  maintained 
among  the  Flatheads,  and  still  brings  forth  fruits  of 
salvation  among  them, — their  greatest  chieftains, 
Michael,  Adolphe,  Ambrose,  Moses,  and  others,  are 
true  and  zealous  Christians,  and  real  piety  in  reli 
gion  and  true  valor  at  war  are  united  in  them. 

In  my  several  visits  to  the  stations  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  I  was  received  by  the  Indians  with 
every  demonstration  of  sincere  and  filial  joy.  I 
think  I  may  say  that  my  presence  among  them  has 
been  of  some  advantage  to  them,  both  in  a  religious 


92  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

and  secular  point  of  view.  I  did  my  best  to  en 
courage  them  to  persevere  in  piety,  and  to  maintain 
the  conditions  of  the  treaty  of  peace  with  the  Gov 
ernment.  In  these  visits  I  had  the  happiness  to 
baptize  over  a  hundred  infants,  and  a  large  number 
of  adults. 

On  the  16 tli  of  April,  in  accordance  with  the 
orders  of  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  army,  I 
went  to  Fort  Vancouver,  arid  left  the  Mission  of  SfT 
Ignatius.  At  my  request,  all  the  chiefs  of  the 
different  mountain  tribes  accompanied  me,  to  renew 
the  treaty  of  peace  with  the  general  and  with  the 
Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs ;  I  give  their 
names,  and  the  nations  to  which  they  belonged. 
Alexander  Temylayketzin,  or  the  Man-without-a- 
horse,  great  chief  of  the  Pends-d'Orcilles :  Victor 
Alamiken,  .  or  the  Happy-man  (he  deserves  his 
name,  for  he  is  a  saintly  man),  great  chief  of  the 
Kalispels ;  Adolphus  Kwilkweschape,  or  Red-feather, 
chief  of  the  Flatheads;  Francis  Saya,  or  the  Iro- 
quois,  another  Flathead  chief;  Dennis  Zenemtietze, 
or  the  Thunders-robe,  chief  of  the  Schuyelpi  or 
Chaudieres;  Andrew  and  Bonaventure,  chiefs  and 
braves  among  the  Co3ur-d'Alenes,  or  Skizoumish  ; 
Kamiakin,  great  chief  of  the  Yacomans ;  and  Gerry, 
great  chief  of  the  Spokans.  The  last  two  are  still 
pagans,  though  their  children  have  been  baptized. 
We  suffered  much,  and  ran  many  dangers  on  the 
route,  on  account  of  the  high  stage  of  the  rivers 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  93 

and  the  heavy  snow.  For  three  days  \ve  had  to 
clear  a  \vay  through  thick  forests,  where  thousands 
of  trees,  thrown  down  by  storms,  lay  across  one 
another,  and  were  covered,  four,  six,  and  eight  feet, 
with  snow  ;  several  horses  perished  in  this  danger 
ous  passage.  My  horse  stumbled  many  a  time,  and 
procured  me  many  a  fall ;  but  aside  from  some 
serious  bruises  and  scratches,  a  hat  battered  to 
pieces,  a  torn  pair  of  trowsers,  and  a  soutane  or 
black-gown  in  rags,  I  came  out  of  it  safe  and  sound. 
I  measured  white  cedars  in  the  wood,  which  were 
as  much  as  six  or  seven  persons  could  clasp  at  the 
base,  and  of  proportionate  height.  After  a  month's 
journey,  we  arrived  at  Fort  Vancouver. 

On  the  18th  of  May  the  interview  took  place 
with  the  general,  the  superintendent,  and  the  Indian 
chiefs.  It  produced  most  happy  results  on  both 
sides.  About  three  weeks'  time  was  accorded  to 
the  chiefs  to  visit,  at  the  cost  of  Government,  the 
principal  cities  and  towns  of  the  State  of  Oregon 
and  Washington  Territory,  with  every  thing  re 
markable  in  the  way  of  industrial  establishments, 
steam-engines,  forges,  manufactories,  and  printing 
establishments, — of  all  which  the  poor  Indians  can 
make  nothing  or  very  little.  The  visit  which  ap 
peared  the  most  to  interest  the  chiefs,  was  that 
which  they  made  to  the  prison  at  Portland,  and  its 
wretched  inmates,  whom  they  found  chained  within 
its  cells.  They  were  particularly  interested  in  the 


94  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

causes,  motives,  and  duration  of  their  imprisonment. 
Chief  Alexander  kept  it  in  his  mind.  Immediately 
on  his  return  to  his  camp  at  St.  Ignatius  Mission, 
he  assembled  his  people,  and  related  to  them  all  the 
wonders  of  the  whites,  and  especially  the  history  of 
the  prison.  "  We,"  said  he,  "  have  neither  chains 
nor  prisons;  and  for  want  of  them,  no  doubt,  a 
great  number  of  us  are  wicked  and  have  deaf  ears. 
As  chief,  I  am  determined  to  do  my  duty  :  I  shall 
take  a  whip  to  punish  the  wicked  ;  let  all  those  who 
have  been  guilty  of  any  misdemeanor  present  them 
selves,  I  am  ready."  The  known  guilty  parties 
were  called  upon  by  name,  many  presented  them 
selves  of  their  own  accord,  and  all  received  a  pro 
portionate  correction. 

Before  leaving  the  parts  of  civilization,  all  the 
chiefs  received  presents  from  the  general  and  super 
intendent,  and  returned  to  their  own  country  con 
tented  and  happy,  and  well  determined  to  keep  at 
peace  with  the  whites.  As  for  me,  I  had  accom 
plished  among  the  Indians  the  task  which  the 
Government  had  imp6sed  upon  me.  I  explained  to 
the  general  my  motives  for  desiring  to  return  to  St. 
Louis  by  way  of  the  interior.  He  acceded  to  my 
desire  with  the  greatest  affability,  and  in  an  answer 
which  he  addressed  to  me  on  this  matter,  he  bore 
most  honorable  testimony  to  my  services. 

About  the  loth  of  June,  I  again  left  Vancouver 
with  the  chiefs,  to  return  to  the  mountains.  I 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  95 

passed  the  7th,  8th,  and  9th  of  July  at  the  Mission 
of  the  Sacred  Heart,  among  the  Cceur-d'Alenes. 
Thence,  I  continued  my  route  for  St.  Ignatius  with 
Father  Congiato,  and  completed  the  trip  in  a  week ; 
not,  however,  without  many  privations,  which  de 
serve  a  short  mention  here. 

Imagine  thick,  untrodden  forests,  strewn  with 
thousands  of  trees  thrown  down  by  age  and  storms 
in  every  direction ;  where  the  path  is  scarcely  vis 
ible,  and  is  obstructed  by  barricades,  which  the 
horses  are  constantly  compelled  to  leap,  and  which 
always  endanger  the  riders.  Two  fine  rivers,  or 
rather  great  torrents, — the  Coeur-d'Alene  and  St. 
Francis  Borgia, — traverse  these  forests  in  a  most 
winding  course ;  their  beds  are  formed  of  enormous, 
detached  masses  of  rock,  and  large  slippery  stones, 
rounded  by  the  action  of  the  water.  The  first  of 
these  torrents  is  crossed  thirty-nine  times,  and  the 
the  second  tlyrtv-two  times,  by  the  only  path ;  the 
wrater  often  comes  to  the  horse's  belly,  and  some 
times  above  the  saddle.  It  is  considered  good  luck 
to  escape  with  only  the  legs  wet.  The  two  rivers 
are  separated  by  a  high  mountain,  or  rather  a  chain 
of  mountains,  called  the  Bitter  Root  chain.  The 
sides  of  these  mountains,  covered  with  thick  cedar 
forests,  and  an  immense  variety  of  firs  and  pines, 
present  great  difficulties  to  the  traveller,  on  account 
of  the  great  number  of  trees  which  lie  broken  and 
fallen  across  the  path,  and  completely  cover  the 


96  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

soil.  To  these  obstacles  must  be  added  immense 
fields  of  snow,  which  have  to  be  crossed,  and  which 
are  at  times  from  eight  to  twelve  feet  deep.  After 
eight  hours'  painful  march,  we  arrived  at  a  beau 
tiful  plain  enamelled  with  flowers,  which  formed 
the  summit  of  Mount  Calvary,  where  a  cross  was 
raised  on  my  first  passage,  sixteen  years  ago.  In 
this  beautiful  situation,  after  so  long  and  rude  a 
course,  I  desired  to  encamp ;  but  Father  Congiato, 
persuaded  that  in  two  hours  more  \ve  should  reach 
the  foot  of  the  mountain,  induced  us  to  continue  the 
march.  When  we  had  made  the  r,ix  miles  which  we 
supposed  we  had  before  us,  and  twelve  miles  more, 
darkness  overtook  us  in  the  midst  of  difficulties.  On 
the  eastern  sidje  of  the  mountain  we  found  other 
hills  of  snow  to  cross,  other  barricades  of  fallen 
trees  to  scramble  over ;  sometimes  we  were  on  the 
edge  of  sheer  precipices  of  rock,  sometimes  on  a 
slope  almost  perpendicular.  The  least  false  step 
might  precipitate  us  into  the  abyss.  Without 
guide,  without  path,  in  the  most  profound  darkness, 
separated  one  from  the  other,  each  calling  for  help 
without  being  able  either  to  give  or  to  obtain  the 
least  assistance,  we  fell  again  and  again,  we  \xilked, 
feeling  our  way  with  our  hands,  or  crawled  on  all 
fours,  slipping  or  sliding  down  as  best  we  could. 
At  last  a  gleam  of  hope  arose  ;  we  heard  the  hoarse 
murmur  of  water  in  the  distance  :  it  was  the  sound 
of  the  waterfalls  of  the  great  stream  which  we  were 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  97 

seeking.  Each  one  then  directed  his  course  towards 
that  point.  We  all  had  the  good  fortune  to  arrive 
at  the  stream  at  last,  but  one  after  another,  between 
twelve  and  one  o'clock  in  the  night,  after  a  march 
of  sixteen  hours,  fatigued  and  exhausted,  our  dresses 
torn  to  rags,  and  covered  with  scratches  and  bruises, 
but  without  serious  injuries.  While  eating  our 
supper,  each  one  amused  his  companions  with  the 
history  of  his  mishaps.  Good  Father  Congiato  ad 
mitted  that  he  had  made  a  mistake  in  his  calculation, 
and  was  the  first  to  laugh  heartily  at  his  blunder. 
Our  poor  horses  found  nothing  to  eat  all  night  in 
this  miserable  mountain  gap. 

I  cannot  omit  here  testifying  my  indebtedness  to 
all  the  Fathers  and  Brothers  of  the  Missions  of  the 
Sacred  Heart  and  of  St.  Ignatius,  for  their  truly 
fraternal  charity  towards  me,  and  the  efficacious  aid 
which  they  rendered  me  towards  fulfilling  the  spe 
cial  mission  which  had  been  intrusted  to  me. 

As  Father  Congiato  keeps  the  Very  Reverend 
Father  General  informed  of  the  actual  state  of  the 
Missions  of  the  mountains,  it  is  unnecessary  for  me 
to  enter  into  all  its  details ;  I  recommend,  especially, 
these  poor  children  of  the  desert  to  his  paternal 
attention  and  charity,  and  to  our  immediate  Supe 
riors  in  this  country. 

Divine  Providence  will  not,  I  hope,  abandon 
them.  They  have  already  a  great  number  of  inter 
cessors  in  heaven,  in  the  thousands  of  their  children 
9 


98  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

dead  shortly  after  baptism,  in  the  number  of  good 
Christian  adults  among  them,  who,  having  lead 
good  lives,  have  quitted  this  world  in  the  most 
pious  dispositions ;  they  can  especially  count  upon 
the  protection  of  Louise,  of  the  tribe  of  Coeur- 
d'Alenes,  and  of  Loyola,  chief  of  the  Kalispels, 
whose  lives  were  an  uninterrupted  series  of  acts  of 
heroic  virtue,  and  who  died  almost  in  the  odor  of 
sanctity. 

On  the  22d  of  July  I  left  the  Mission  of  St.  Ig 
natius,  accompanied  by  Father  Congiato  with  some 
guides  and  Indian  hunters.  The  distance  to  Fort 
Benton  is  about  two  hundred  miles.  The  country 
for  the  first  four  days  is  picturesque,  and  presents 
no  obstacle  to  travelling.  It  is  a  succession  of  for 
ests  easily  traversed,  of  beautiful  prairies,  impetuous 
torrents,  pretty  rivulets;  here  and  there  are  lakes, 
from  three  to  six  miles  in  circumference,  whose 
waters  are  clear  as  crystal,  well  stored  with  fish  of 
various  kinds  :  nothing  can  be  more  charming  than 
the  prospect.  We  called  one  of  the  largest  of  these 
lakes,  St.  Mary. 

On  the  26th  of  July  we  crossed  the  mountain 
which  separates  the  sources  of  the  Clarke  River 
from  those  of  the  Missouri,  at  the  48th  degree  of 
north  latitude  and  the  115th  of  longitude.  The 
crossing  does  not  take  more  than  half  an  hour,  and 
is  very  easy  even  for  wagons  and  carts.  At  the 
eastern  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  the  plains  are 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  99 

mountainous,  and  almost  destitute  of  timber ;  we 
crossed  several  small  streams  before  we  reached  the 
Sun  River,  and  followed  down  its  valley  almost  to 
its  mouth.  We  visited  the  great  falls  of  the  Mis 
souri  on  our  way  :  the  principal  fall  is  ninety -three 
feet  high.  Father  Hoecken  and  Brother  Magri  met 
us  in  this  vicinity.  On  the  29th  we  arrived  at  Fort 
Benton,  a  post  of  the  St.  Louis  Fur  Company, 
where  we  received  the  greatest  attention  from  all 
its  inmates;  we  feel  particularly  obliged  to  Mr. 
Dorson,  the  superintendent  of  the  fort,  for  his  con 
tinued  kindness  and  charity  to  all  our  missionaries. 
May  the  Lord  protect  and  reward  him  !  The  Black- 
feet  occupy  an  immense  territory  in  this  neighbor 
hood  ;  they  reckon  from  ten  to  twelve  thousand 
souls  in  the  six  tribes  which  compose  this  nation. 
They  have  been  asking  for  Black  Gowns  (priests) 
for  many  years,  and  their  desire  appears  universal. 
In  my  visit  to  them  in  184G,  they  begged  me  to 
send  a  Father  to  instruct  them. 

Father  Hoecken  is  now  in  these  parts,  and  I  have 
just  read  with  the  greatest  pleasure,  in  the  "  Annals 
of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,"  that  the  work  of 
the  conversion  of  the  Blackfeet  has  been  commenced, 
with  the  entire  approbation  of  the  Very  Reverend 
Father  General. 

On  our  arrival  in  the  neighborhood,  we  found  a 
large  number  of  Indians  encamped  around  and  near 
the  fort.  It  was  the  period  for  the  annual  distribu- 


100  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

tion  of  presents.  They  manifested  their  joy  at  the 
presence  of  a  missionary  in  their  country,  and  hoped 
that  "  all  would  open  to  him  their  ears  and  heart." 
The  chief  of  a  large  camp,  in  one  of  our  visits, 
related  to  us  a  remarkable  circumstance,  which  I 
think  worthy  of  mention. 

"When  Father  Point  was  among  the  Blackfeet,  he 
presented  some  crosses  to  many  chiefs  as  marks  ol 
distinction,  and  explained  to  them  their  significa 
tion,  exhorting  them,  when  in  danger,  to  invoke  the 
Son  of  God,  whose  image  they  bore,  and  to  place 
all  their  confidence  in  him.  The  chief  who  related 
these  details,  was  one  of  a  band  of  thirty  Indians 
who  went  to  war  against  the  Crows.  The  Crows 
having  got  upon  their  trail,  gathered  together  in 
haste  and  in  great  multitudes  to  fight  and  destroy 
them.  They  soon  came  up  with  them  in  a  position 
of  the  forest  where  they  had  made  a  barricade  of 
fallen  trees  and  branches,  and  surrounded  them, 
shouting  ferociously  the  dreaded  war-cry.  The 
Blackfeet,  considering  the  superior  numbers  of  the 
enemy  who  thus  surprised  them,  were  firmly  per 
suaded  that  they  should  perish  at  their  hands. 
One  of  them  bore  on  his  breast  the  sign  of  salva 
tion.  He  remembered  the  words  of  the  BLick 
Gown  (Father  Point),  and  reminded  his  companions 
of  them ;  all  shouted,  "  It  is  our  only  chance  of 
safety."  They  then  invoked  the  Son  of  God,  and 
rushed  from  the  barricade.  The  bearer  of  the 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  101 

cross,  holding  it  up  in  his  hand,  led  the  way,  fol 
lowed  by  all  the  rest.  The  Crows  discharged  a 
shower  of  arrows  and  bullets  at  them,  but  no  one  was 
seriously  injured.  They  all  happily  escaped.  On 
concluding  his  statement,  the  chief  added  with 
energy  and  feeling :  "  Yes,  the  prayer  (religion)  of 
the  Son  of  God  is  the  only  good  and  powerful  one ; 
we  all  desire  to  become  worthy  of  it,  and  to  adopt  it." 

My  intention,  when  I  left  General  Harney,  was, 
with  his  consent,  to  go  all  the  way  to  St.  Louis  on 
horseback,  in  the  hope  of  meeting  a  large  number 
of  Indian  tribes,  especially  the  large  and  powerful 
tribe  of  Comanches.  I  was  obliged  to  renounce 
this  project,  for  my  six  horses  were  entirely  worn 
out,  and  unfit  for  making  so  long  a  journey ;  they 
were  all  more  or  less  saddle-galled,  and,  not  being 
shod,  their  hoofs  were  worn  in  crossing  the  rocky 
bottoms  of  the  rivers,  and  the  rough,  rocky  moun 
tain  roads. 

In  this  difficulty,  I  ordered  a  little  skiff  to  be 
made  at  Fort  Benton  ;  worthy  Mr.  Dawson,  super 
intendent  of  the  Fur  Company,  had  the  very  great 
kindness  to  procure  me  three  oarsmen  and  a  pilot. 
On  the  5th  of  August  I  bade  adieu  to  Fathers 
Congiato  and  Hoecken,  and  dear  Brother  Magri, 
and  embarked  on  the  Missouri,  which  is  celebrated 
for  dangers  of  navigation — snags  and  rapids  being 
numerous  in  the  upper  river. 

We  descended  the  stream  about  2400  miles  in 


102  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

our  cockle-shell,  making  fifty,  sixty,  and  sometimes, 
when  the  wind  favored  us,  eighty  miles  a  day. 
We  took  the  first  steamboat  we  met,  at  Omaha 
City.  The  steamer  made  about  700  miles  in  six 
days,  and  on  the  23d  of  September,  vigil  of  our 
Lady  of  Mercy,  we  entered  the  port  of  St.  Louis. 

During  this  long  trip  on  the  river  we  passed  the 
nights  in  the  open  air,  or  under  a  little  tent,  often 
on  sandbanks,  to  avoid  the  troublesome  mosquitoes, 
or  on  the  skirts  of  a  plain,  or  in  an  untrodden  thick 
forest.  We  often  heard  the  howlings  of  the  wolves ; 
and  the  grunting  of  the  grizzly  bear,  the  king  of 
animals  in  these  parts,  disturbed  our  sleep,  but 
without  alarming  us.  In  the  desert  one  perceives 
that  God  has  implanted  in  the  breast  of  the  wild 
beasts  the  fear  of  man.  In  the  desert,  also,  we  are 
enabled  in  a  particular  way  to  admire  and  to  thank 
that  Divine  Providence  which  watches  with  so 
much  solicitude  over  his  children.  There  is  admi 
rably  verified  the  text  of  St.  Matthew  :  "  Consider 
the  birds  of  the  air,  they  sow  not,  but  your  Heav 
enly  Father  feeds  them ;  are  ye  not  of  much  more 
value  than  they."  During  the  whole  route,  our 
wants  were  constantly  supplied ;  yes,  we  lived  in 
the  midst  of  the  greatest  abundance.  The  rivers 
furnished  us  excellent  fish,  water-fowl,  ducks,  geese, 
and  swans;  the  forests  and  plains  gave  us  fruits 
and  roots.  We  never  wanted  for  game  :  we  found 
everywhere  either  immense  herds  of  buffaloes,  or 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  103 

deer,  antelope,  mountain  sheep  or  big-horns,  pheas 
ants,  wild  turkeys,  and  partridges. 

On  the  way,  along  the  Missouri,  I  met  thousands 
of  Indians  of  different  tribes :  Crows,  Assiniboins, 
Minataries,  Mandans,  Rickaries,  Sioux,  &c.  I  al 
ways  stopped  a  day  or  two  with  them.  I  received 
the  greatest  marks  of  respect  and  affection  from 
these  hitherto  untutored  children  of  the  plains  and 
mountains,  and  they  listened  to  my  words  with  the 
utmost  attention.  For  many  years  these  poor 
tribes  have  desired  to  have  missionaries  and  to  be 
instructed.  • 

My  greatest,  I  may  say  almost  my  only  consola 
tion,  is  to  have  been  the  instrument,  in  the  hand 
of  Divine  Providence,  of  the  eternal  salvation  of  a 
great  number  of  little  children  ;  of  about  nine  hun 
dred  I  baptized,  many  were  sickly,  and  seemed 
only  to  wait  for  this  happiness,  to  fly  to  God,  to 
praise  him  for  all  eternity. 

To  God  alone  be  all  the  glory  ;  and  to  the  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary,  our  most  humble  and  most  profound 
thanks  for  the  protection  and  benefits  received  du 
ring  this  long  journey.     After  having  travelled,  by 
land  and  river  over  8314  miles,  and  6950  on  sea, 
without  any  serious  accident,  I  arrived   safe   and 
sound  at  St.  Louis,  among  my  dear  brethren   in 
Jesus  Christ.     I  am  with  the  most  sincere  respect, 
Your  servant  in  Christ, 
P.  J.  DE  SMET,  S.  J. 


104  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

LETTER  OF  FATHER  DE  SMET. 

ST.  Louis  UNIVERSITY,  Dec.  1,  1861. 
DEAR  SIR  : 

In  my  letter  of  Nov.  10th,  1859,  I  alluded 
to  the  Skalzi  Indians.  Allow  me  to  add  fuller  de 
tails  concerning  that  tribe. 

I  visited  these  good  savages,  for  the  first  time,  in 
the  summer  of  1845,  on  which  occasion  I  had  the 
happiness  to  regenerate  all  their  little  children  in 
the  holy  waters  of  baptism,  as  well  as  a  large  num 
ber  of  adults.  I  saw  these  dear  children  again  in 
1859  ;  and  the  visit  filled  me  with  inexpressible  joy, 
because  they  had  remained  faithful, — true  to  the 
faith,  and  fervent  and  zealous  Christians.  They 
were  the  consolation  of  their  missionaries,  and 
shone  conspicuous  by  their  virtues  among  the  tribes 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  They  were  especially 
distinguished  by  an  admirable  simplicity,  a  great 
charity,  and  a  rare  honesty  in  all  their  dealings  with 
their  neighbors,  and  an  innocence  of  manners  wor 
thy  of  the  primitive  Christians.  A  short  account 
of  this  interesting  tribe  and  the  country  which  they 
inhabit,  will  doubtless  please  you. 

The  two  tribes  of  the  Koetenays  and  Flat-bows 
number  over  a  thousand  souls.  They  are  princi- 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  105 

pally  divided  into  two  camps,  and  are  known  in 
their  country  under  the  name  of  Skalzi.  One  of 
these  camps,  numbering  about  three  hundred,  in 
habits  sometimes  the  neighborhood  of  the  great 
Flathead  Lake,  and  sometimes  the  great  Tobacco 
Plain,  which  is  watered  by  the  Koetenay  River, — 
the  distance  is  about  seventy  miles.  The  Tobacco 
Plain  is  a  remarkable  spot,  situated  between  the 
forty-ninth  and  fiftieth  degrees  of  north  latitude, 
and  is  the  only  great  plain  possessed  by  this  camp. 
It  is  about  fifty  or  sixty  miles  long,  by  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles  in  width.  It  resembles  a  large  basin, 
surrounded  by  lofty  mountains,  which  form  a  vast 
and  beautiful  amphitheatre,  and  present  a  picturesque 
sight.  The  plain  has  all  the  appearance  of  the  dry 
bed  of  a  vast  lake.  Towards  the  south  the  valley  is 
gravelly,  undulating,  and  covered  with  little  hillocks, 
and  patches  here  and  there  are  susceptible  of  culti 
vation  ;  the  northern  portion,  on  the  contrary,  has  a 
uniform  surface,  and  a  considerable  extent  of  excellent 
arable  land.  Though  the  land  is  very  elevated,  and 
far  towards  the  north,  the  temperature  is  remarka 
bly  mild,  severe  cold  being  a  rare  occurrence,  and 
the  snow  is  seldom  deep ;  it  falls  frequently  during 
the  season,  but  disappears  almost  as  it  falls,  absorbed, 
perhaps,  by  the  rarefaction  of  the  atmosphere  at  this 
elevation,  or,  perhaps,  driven  off  by  the  southern 
breeze,  which  blows  almost  uninterruptedly  in  the 
valley,  and  drives  the  snow  oft'  as  it  falls.  Horses 


106  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

and  horned  cattle  find  abundant  pasture  during  the 
whole  year.  The  large  river,  called  indifferently 
the  Koetenay,  the  McGilvray,  and  the  Flat-bow 
River,  flows  through  the  entire  valley.  It  rises 
to  the  northwest  of  this  region,  and  its  course  is 
towards  the  southeast  for  a  considerable  distance. 
The  waters  of  this  great  river  are  increased  by  a 
large  number  of  brooks  and  beautiful  rivulets,  which 
have  their  source,  for  the  most  part,  in  the  lovely 
lakes  or  numerous  basins  of  these  beautiful  moun 
tains.  Many  of  these  streams  present  to  the  eye 
the  most  charming  scenes  in  their  course.  The 
noise  of  their  waters  and  the  sweet  murmur  of  their 
falls  are  heard  at  some  distance,  and  the  eye  is 
charmed  by  their  descent  from  height  after  height, 
and  their  succession  of  cascades,  from  which  they 
escape  to  the  plain,  covered  with  foam,  and,  as  it 
were,  exhausted  by  the  struggles  of  the  way.  These 
mountain  torrents  will  some  day  be  the  sites  of  mills 
of  every  description.  Coal  exists  in  many  portions 
of  the  country,  lead  is  found  in  abundance,  and  I 
venture  to  say  that  more  precious  minerals  repose 
in  the  bosom  of  the  mountains,  and  will  one  day 
be  brought  to  light  there. 

The  Indians  have  devoted  themselves  to  agricul 
ture  for  some  years  past.  They  cultivate  little 
fields  of  maize,  barley,  oats,  and  potatoes,  all  of 
which  ripen.  It  is  rare  that  the  frost  injures  the 
crops  before  the  season  of  harvest.  Their  small 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  '     107 

fields  cannot  be  extended,  owing  to  the  want  of 
instruments  of  agriculture.  They  are  compelled  to 
turn  the  earth  with  instruments  of  the  most  primi 
tive  construction,  such  as  Adam  may  have  used  in 
his  day.  The  pointed  stick  made  of  a  very  hard 
wood,  is  what  they  have  used  from  ages  immemo 
rial  to  dig  up  the  camash,  the  bitter-root,  the  wap- 
paioo  (sagitta  folia),  the  caious,  or  biscuit-root,  and 
other  vegetables  of  the  same  description.  These 
Indians  are  very  industrious.  They  are  rarely  un 
employed.  Their  time  is  fully  occupied  in  making 
bows  and  arrows,  lines  and  hooks,  or  in  hunting 
and  fishing,  or  seeking  roots  or  wild  fruits  for  their 
numerous  families.  They  extend  their  hunt  often 
to  the  great  plains  of  the  Blackfeet  and  the  Crows, 
to  the  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  on  the  upper 
waters  of  the  Missouri  and  the  Sascatshawin.  De 
prived  as  they  are  of  agricultural  instruments  and 
fire-arms,  they  are  always  in  want,  and  they  may 
be  said  to  keep  a  perpetual  Lent. 

The  missionaries  furnished  them  with  a  few 
ploughs  and  spades.  Last  year  I  forwarded  to 
them,  by  the  steamer  of  the  Missouri  Fur  Company 
at  St.  Louis,  some  necessary  agricultural  imple 
ments,  such  as  ploughs,  <fec. ;  but  the  boat  was 
burned  with  all  her  cargo  above  the  Yellowstone 
river. 

It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  no  more  can  be 
done  for  these  good  Indians,  for,  of  all  the  mountain 


108  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

tribes,  they  are  at  once  the  best  disposed  and  the 
most  necessitous.  The  beau-ideal  of  the  Indian 
character,  uncontaminated  by  contact  with  the 
whites,  is  found  among  them.  What  is  most  pleas 
ing  to  the  stranger,  is  to  see  their  simplicity,  united 
with  sweetness  and  innocence,  keep  step  with  the 
most  perfect  dignity  and  modesty  of  deportment. 
The  gross  vices  which  dishonor  the  red  man  on  the 
frontiers,  are  utterly  unknown  among  them.  They 
are  honest  to  scrupulosity.  The  Hudson  Bay  Com 
pany,  during  the  forty  years  that  it  has  been  trading 
in  furs  with  them,  has  never  been  able  to  perceive 
that  the  smallest  object  had  been  stolen  from  them. 
The  agent  of  the  Company  takes  his  furs  down  to 
Colville  every  Spring,  and  does  not  return  before 
Autumn.  During  his  absence,  the  store  is  confided 
to  the  care  of  an  Indian,  who  trades  in  the  name  of 
the  Company,  and  on  the  return  of  the  agent,  ren 
ders  him  a  most  exact  account  of  his  trust.  I 
repeat  here  what  I  stated  in  a  preceding  letter,  that 
the  store  often  remains  without  any  one  to  watch 
it,  the  door  unlocked  and  unbolted,  and  the  goods 
are  never  stolen.  The  Indians  go  in  and  out,  help 
themselves  to  what  they  want,  and  always  scrupu 
lously  leave  in  place  of  whatever  article  they  take 
its  exact  value. 

The  following  anecdote  will  serve  to  give  an 
idea  of  the  delicacy  of  conscience  of  these  good 
Indians. 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  109 

An  old  chief,  poor  and  blind,  came  from  a  great 
distance,  guided  by  his  son,  to  consult  the  priest ;  his 
only  object  being  to  receive  baptism,  if  he  should 
be  considered  worthy  of  the  privilege.  He  stated 
to  the  missionary,  that,  in  spite  of  his  ardent  desire 
to  be  baptized,  he  had  not  dared  to  approach  the 
priest  for  that  purpose,  owing  to  a  small  debt  of 
two  beaver  skins  (say  ten  dollars)  which  he  had 
contracted.  "  My  poverty,"  said  he,  "  has  always 
prevented  me  from  fulfilling  this  obligation;  and 
until  I  had  done  so,  I  dared  not  gratify  the  dearest 
wish  of  my  heart.  At  last  I  had  a  thought.  I 
begged  my  friends  to  be  charitable  to  me.  I  am 
now  in  possession  of  a  fine  buffalo  robe :  I  wish  to 
make  myself  worthy  of  baptism."  The  missionary, 
accompanied  by  the  old  man,  went  to  the  clerk  of 
the  Company  to  learn  the  particulars  of  the  debt. 
The  clerk  examined  the  books,  but  said  that  no 
such  debt  existed.  The  chief  still  insisted  on  pay 
ing,  but  the  clerk  refused  to  take  the  robe.  "  Have 
pity  on  me,"  at  last  exclaimed  the  worthy  old  man, 
"  this  debt  has  rendered  me  wretched  long  enough ; 
for  years  it  has  weighed  on  my  conscience.  I  wish 
to  belong  to  the  blameless  and  pure  prayer  (re 
ligion),  and  to  make  myself  worthy  of  the  name  of 
a  child  of  God.  This  buffalo  robe  covers  my  debt," 
and  he  spread  it  on  the  ground  at  the  feet  of  the 
clerk.  He  received  baptism,  and  returned  home 
contented  and  happy. 

10 


110  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

A  young  Koetenay  who  had  been  baptized  in 
infancy,  during  my  first  visit  in  1845,  had  emigrated 
with  his  parents  to  the  Soushwaps  in  the  mountain 
ous  regions  near  Fraser  River.  His  parents  de 
sired  to  marry  him  to  a  young  woman  who  was  as 
yet  unbaptized  ;  he  had  a  sister  in  the  same  condi 
tion.  It  was  resolved  that  the  three  should  make 
the  long  journey  of  many  weeks'  travel,  to  reach 
the  Mission,  in  order  that  both  sacraments  might 
be  received.  On  their  arrival,  their  ardent  faith, 
and  praiseworthy  earnestness,  were  the  admiration  of 
the  whole  village.  The  fervent  missionary,  Father 
Menetry,  instructed  these  zealous  neophytes,  and 
prepared  them  for  holy  baptism.  The  young  man, 
who  had  not  seen  a  priest  since  1845,  had  prepared 
himself  to  approach  the  tribunal  of  penance,  for  the 
first  time,  in  order  to  make  his  first  communion, 
and  to  receive  the  nuptial  benediction  with  the 
proper  dispositions.  On  the  day  appointed  for  the 
administration  of  all  these  sacraments,  the  young 
Koetenay  presented  himself  with  an  humble  and 
modest  air  at  the  confessional.  He  held  in  his 
hands  some  bundles  of  cedar  chips,  about  the 
size  of  ordinary  matches,  and  divided  into  small 
bunches  of  different  sizes.  After  kneeling  in  the 
confessional  and  saying  the  confiteor,  he  handed  the 
little  bundles  to  the  priest.  "These,  my  father," 
said  he,  "are  the  result  of  my  examination  of  con 
science.  This  bundle  is  such  a  sin  :  count  the  chips 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  Ill 

and  you  will  know  how  many  times  I  have  com 
mitted  it ;  the  second  bundle  is  such  a  sin,"  and  so 
he  continued  his  confession.  His  confession  was 
accompanied  with  such  sincere  signs  of  grief,  that 
his  confessor  was  affected  to  tears.  It  is  impossible 
not  to  be  struck  with  admiration  for  the  simplicity 
of  heart  which  led  our  young  savage,  in  his  desire 
to  perform  this  duty  with  the  utmost  exactitude,  to 
this  new  method  of  making  a  confession ;  but  still 
more  admirable  is  the  adorable  grace  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  who  thus  sheds  His  gifts  upon  these,  His 
poor  children  of  the  desert,  and,  if  I  may  dare  to 
say  so,  adapts  himself  to  their  capacity. 

In  their  zeal  and  fervor  the  Koetenays  have  built 
a  little  church  of  round  logs  on  the  great  Tobacco 
Prairie.  They  carried  the  logs, — which  averaged 
from  twenty  to  twenty-five  feet  in  length, — in  their 
arms  a  distance  of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile, 
and  raised  the  walls  of  the  new  church,  as  it  were, 
by  main  force.  The  exterior  is  covered  with  straw 
and  sods.  In  this  humble  house  of  the  Lord  they 
meet  morning  and  evening,  to  offer  to  the  Great 
Spirit  their  fervent  prayers, — the  first-fruits  of  the 
day.  How  striking  is  the  contrast  between  this 
little  church  of  the  desert  and  the .  magnificent 
temples  of  civilization,  especially  in  Europe.  The 
majesty  of  these  churches,  their  fine  pictures,  the 
sculpture  which  adorns  their  walls,  and  their  im 
posing  proportions,  inspire  the  beholder  with  ad  mi- 


112  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

ration  and  awe :  yet,  on  entering  this  little  cabin, 
consecrated  to  the  Great  Spirit  in  the  desert,  erected 
by  poor  Indians, — on  contemplating  the  profound 
recollection,  the  sincere  piety  depicted  on  their 
features, — on  hearing  them  recite  their  prayers, 
which  seem  to  rise  from  the  bottom  of  their  heart, 
it  is  difficult  to  refrain  from  tears,  and  the  spectator 
exclaims  :  "  Indeed,  this  poor  and  humble  church  is 
the  abode  of  the  Lord  and  the  house  of  prayer ;  its 
whole  beauty  lies  in  the  piety,  zeal,  and  fervor  of 
those  who  enter  there !" 

In  this  humble  church  are  now  performed  all  the 
religious  ceremonies  of  baptism  and  marriage.  The 
Indians  defer  them  until  the  appointed  season  for 
the  arrival  of  the  missionaries ;  they  then  come  in 
from  all  parts  of  the  country.  "  How  beautiful  are 
the  feet  of  those  who  announce  the  Gospel  of  peace." 
The  priest  of  this  Mission  finds  the  truth  of  the 
words,  "  Jugum  meum  suave :  my  yoke  is  sweet." 
No  sooner  has  he  arrived  than  all  crowd  round 
him,  as  beloved  children  to  greet,  after  a  long 
absence,  a  father  whom  they  tenderly  venerate. 
Even  the  hands  of  infants  are  placed  in  those  of  the 
missionary  by  their  mothers.  A  long  conference 
then  follows.  The  priest  gives  and  receives  all 
news  of  important  events  which  have  happened 
since  the  last  meeting,  and  regulates  with  the  chiefs 
the  exercises  to  be  followed  during  his  present  visit. 
He  gives  two  instructions  a  day  to  adults,  and  cat- 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  113 

echises  the  children;  he  helps  them  to  examine 
well  their  consciences,  and  to  make  a  good  confes 
sion  :  he  prepares  them  to  approach  worthily  the 
Holy  Table,  instructs  the  catechumens  and  admits 
them  to  baptism,  together  with  the  children  born 
durino-  his  absence;  he  renews  and  blesses  all  new 

O 

marriages ;  and,  like  a  father,  settles  any  difficulties 
which  may  have  arisen.  Some  he  encourages  and 
strengthens  in  the  Faith,  and  removes  the  doubts 
and  soothes  the  inquietudes  of  others.  In  a  word, 
he  encourages  all  these  good  neophytes  to  know 
the  Lord,  to  serve  Him  faithfully,  and  love  Him 
with  all  their  hearts. 

If  the  days  of  the  missionary  are  thus  filled  with 
labor  and  fatigue,  he  has  his  full  recompense  of 
merit  and  consolation.  Pie  counts  them  among  the 
happiest  days  of  his  life.  The  Reverend  Father 
Menetry,  their  missionary,  during  his  visit  in  1858, 
baptized  fifty  children  and  thirty  adults,  blessed 
forty  marriages,  and  heard  over  five  hundred  con 
fessions. 

The  great  chief  of  the  Koetenays,  named  Michael,, 
recalls  in  the  midst  of  his  tribe  the  life  and  virtues 
of  the  ancient  patriarchs.  His  life  is  that  of  a  good 
and  tender  father,  surrounded  by  a  numerous  family 
of  docile  and  affectionate  children.  His  camp  num 
bers  four  hundred  souls.  They  are  all  baptized,  and 
they  walk  in  the  footsteps  of  their  worthy  chief.  It 
is  truly  a  delightful  spectacle  to  find  in  the  bosom 
10* 


114  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

of  these  isolated  mountains  of  the  Columbia  river, 
a  tribe  of  poor  Indians  living  in  the  greatest  purity 
of  manners,  and  leading  a  life  of  evangelic  simplicity. 
They  are  almost  deprived  of  the  succors  of  religion, 
and  receive  the  visit  of  a  priest  but  once  or  twice 
in  the  course  of  a  year. 

The  sleep  of  a  missionary  among  the  Indians  is 
always  deep.  His  entire  day,  and  a  great  part  of 
the  night,  is  spent  in  instructing  them,  and  arran 
ging  the  affairs  of  their  conscience.  When  his  work 
is  done,  his  slumber  is  profound,  and  it  is  not  sur 
prising  that  he  hears  nothing  that  passes  around 
him.  I  wish  to  add,  at  this  point,  a  little  chapter 
on  the  subject  of  Indian  dogs.  "  Experte  crede 
Roberto." 

Having  had  much  experience  in  this  matter  my 
self,  I  give  ready  and  implicit  faith  to  the  statement 
made  to  me  by  Father  Menetry,  as  to  the  conduct 
of  the  dogs  of  the  Koetenays.  It  is  the  reverse  side 
of  his  beautiful  description  of  life  among  this  tribe. 
All  is  not  beauty  and  pleasure  in  this  charming 
wilderness.  It  is  well  that  travellers  at  a  distance 
should  be  forewarned  of  what  they  may  expect, 
that  they  may  provide  themselves  for  the  occasion. 
[If  the  traveller  has  only  one  tent,  he  must  be  care- 
iful  'before  he  retires  to  barricade  the  entrance  well, 
;and  -surround  it  with  brush ;  he  must  stop  every 
•crack,  and  cranny,  and  carefully  hang  out  of  reach 
-not -only. all  his  provisions,  but  any  thing  made  of 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  115 

leather,  or  that  has  once  had  connection  with 
flesh,  otherwise,  he  will  find  on  waking,  that  him 
self  and  his  cattle  are  deprived  of  provender.  The 
Indian  dogs  are  as  bad  as  their  masters  are 
good.  Their  masters  abhor  theft,  but  these  dogs 
make  it  their  business,  and  subsist  entirely  by 
pilfering.  The  dogs  are  found  to  the  number  of  six 
or  seven  in  each  family  :  each  member  owns  one  or 
two  ;  they  live  on  bones  and  the  crumbs  which  fall 
from  the  frugal  table  of  their  poor  masters,  and  I 
can  assure  you  that  very  little  is  left  from  the  meal 
of  an  Indian,  who  considers  it  a  duty  to  eat  all  that 
is  set  before  him,  and  is  by  no  means  nice  at  table. 
The  dogs,  therefore,  are  left  to  provide  for  them 
selves  as  best  they  can.  For  the  most  part,  they 
work  by  night,  and  become  very  cunning  and 
expert :  hunger  sharpens  their  rapacious  instincts. 
Father  Menetry  assures  us,  that  he  has  very  often 
awoke  in  the  morning  as  poor  as  Job,  every  thing 
having  been  carried  off  during  the  night.  It  was 
in  vain  that  he  had  taken  every  precaution  which 
prudence  suggested  before  going  to  bed,  the  indus 
try  of  these  nocturnal  marauders  got  the  better  of 
all  his  care.  Sleeping  like  a  log  after  the  fatigues 
of  the  day,  he  never  heard  the  noise  made  by  the 
thieves  during  their  stay,  though  they  often  fought 
with  one  another  in  his  tent  over  their  spoils.  The 
more  vigilant  savages  were  frequently  aroused  by 
the  racket  made  in  his  tent,  and  were  in  the  habit  of 


116  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

coming  to  his  rescue.  Sometimes  a  good  old  Indian 
dame,  armed  with  a  big  stick,  would  present  herself 
suddenly  upon  the  field  of  battle,  dealing  her  blows 
right  and  left  upon  the  combatants ;  again,  a  stal 
wart  young  savage  would  venture  into  the  Father's 
tent  to  disperse  these '  midnight  marauders,  and 
restore  peace.  Occasionally,  the  good  Father  him 
self  would  be  aroused  by  the  noise  of  the  howling 
of  the  dogs  and  the  cries  of  those  who  had  come  to 
protect  him.  They  would  then  set  to  work  to 
repair,  though  rather  too  late,  the  breaches  made 
in  his  fortifications,  stopping  up  every  hole,  and 
barricading  the  entry  afresh.  He  would  then  lie 
down  again,  at  the  risk  of  another  attack  from  these 
indefatigable  robbers. 

At  last  a  council  of  chiefs  was  held  on  the  sub 
ject,  in  which  it  was  resolved  to  put  an  end  to  these 
scenes,  so  annoying  to  the  missionary.  They  there 
fore  surrounded  his  tent  with  an  inclosure  impen 
etrable  to  dogs.  They  went  further,  even,  and  set 
to  work,  in  good  earnest,  to  build  a  presbytery  with 
two  apartments,  attached  to  the  church.  One 
room  was  made  to  serve  for  a  sleeping-room,  and 
the  other  to  meet  in,  and  for  private  conference 
with  the  priest.  The  good  savages  replaced,  each 
time,  the  provisions  and  other  objects  stolen  by 
their  dogs.  Taking  the  food  as  it  were,  from  their 
own  mouths  and  from  those  of  their  children,  that 
the  Father  might  not  suffer  from  hunger ;  for  fear 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  117 

that  the  want  of  necessaries  might  shorten  his  stay 
among  them. 

It  appears  from  these  little  details,  that  Charity, 
the  eldest  daughter  of  Religion,  flourishes  in  the 
soul  of  the  simple  savage,  as  well  as  in  that  of  the 
children  of  Civilization.  Though  poorer  and  more 
humble  among  them,  charity  is  not  less  industrious, 
not  less  beautiful :  it  is  more  simple  and  candid 
with  them,  and  therefore  more  attractive. 

P.  J.  DE  SMET,  S.  J. 


118 


8KALZI    VOCABULARY. 


A  VOCABULARY  OF  THE  SKALZI, 

OK  KOETENAY  TRIBE,  INHABITING  THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAINS 
ON    THE    HEADWATERS    OF    THE    CLARKE    AND    MACGIL- 

VRAY  RIVERS, 

TAKEN  DURING  MY  TRIP  OF  1859. 


Titto. 

Kettitto. 

Tittonis. 

Tittowis. 

Kittetonelgle. 

Tittoniskelg. 

Galg. 

Kannagalgli. 

Galgtinis. 

Galgliis. 

Kan  nagen  aggie. 

Galgniskilg. 

Kakittegle. 

Akitglenis. 

Kakitglcnegle. 

Akitgleniskilg. 

Koos. 

Kakoosli. 

Koosnish. 

Koosish. 


Father. 
My  father. 
Thy  father. 
His  father. 
Our  father. 
Your  father. 
Son. 
My  son. 
Thy  son. 
His  son. 
Our  son. 
Your  son. 
My  house. 
Thy  house. 
Our  house. 
Your  house. 
Pipe. 
My  pipe. 
Thy  pipe. 
His  pipe. 


SKALZI    VOCABULARY. 


119 


Kakooshnegle. 

Our  pipe. 

Akitsemmelg. 

Knife. 

Kakessemmelg. 

My  knife. 

Akessemmelgnis. 

Thy  knife. 

Akessemmelgis. 

His  knife. 

Kakkesemmclgnegle. 

Our  knife. 

Joukisitnemme 

Day. 

Kitsilgmouiet. 

Night. 

Sookene. 

Good. 

Tsennin. 

Bad. 

Pekkek. 

Long  ago. 

Makke. 

Soon. 

Tittekete. 

Man. 

Titteketenintik. 

Men. 

Pelgki. 

Woman. 

Pelgklmintik. 

Women. 

Nitstfihelg. 

Young  man. 

NitstMielgnintik. 

Young  men. 

Nutkwinne. 

One. 

Ash. 

Two. 

Kelgs6. 

Three. 

Gatse. 

Four. 

Yikko. 

Five. 

Nmisse. 

Six. 

Wistelggle. 

Seven. 

Ogwatsfi. 

Eight. 

Kykittowg. 

Nine. 

Ittowe. 

Ten. 

Ittowonglenkkwe. 

Eleven. 

120 


SKALZI    VOCABULARY. 


Ittowongleash. 
Ittowinnowe. 

Ittowolg  ittowinnowo. 

Yowo. 

Kattesennewe. 

Gatsennowo. 

Jikunnewo. 

Nmissennewo. 

Westenenne. 

Egkomne. 

Kamma. 

Kennukglakkanelg. 

Kattelgnammo. 

Kessuwi. 

Kukketogammelg. 

Kolgglitskilg. 

Akkesemakkanik. 

Ekkeglem. 

Ekkuktegli3. 

Akkakkane. 

Akklnnekelg. 

AkukkowSte. 

Akakkeglelg. 

Ako. 

Akelgmanna. 

Welgglonek. 

Akonanne. 

Akokkeglegg^. 

Akok^k. 


Twelve. 

One  hundred. 

One  thousand. 

Twenty. 

Thirty. 

Forty. 

Fifty. 

Sixty. 

Girl. 

Infant. 

Mother. 

My  husband. 

My  wife. 

My  daughter. 

My  brother. 

My  sister. 

Indians. 

Head. 

Hair. 

Face. 

Forehead. 

Ear. 

Eye. 

Nose. 

Month. 

Tongue. 

Teeth. 

Beard. 

Neck. 


SKALZI    VOCABULARY. 


121 


Akegleke.  * 

Aki. 

Akitskybi. 

Akukkepe. 

Akulgglfik. 

Akkuksake. 

Akkeglik. 

Akilskakkarnak. 

Makke. 

Akitglewi. 

Wenneme. 

Kikkeglenam. 

Nessoki. 

Kappilgglitit. 

Kitsglekilggla. 

Kitteglana. 

Yelsklme. 

Kakeglem. 

Kakelglumma. 

Kakewettek^k. 

Kakenukkeglfike. 

Kakewoom. 

Kakakkeglig. 

Kaekkoon. 

Kakelglumma. 

Kowwelgglonek. 

Kiikkeglek. 

Kaiikkesako. 

Kajouskennek. 


Arm. 

Hand. 

Fingers. 

Nails. 

Body. 

Leg. 

Foot. 

Toes. 

Bone. 

Heart. 

Blood. 

Village. 

Chief. 

Warrior. 

Friend. 

House. 

Kettle. 

My  bead. 

My  throat. 

My  breast. 

My  stomach. 

My  belly. 

My  eyes. 

My  nose. 

My  lips. 

My  tongue. 

My  backbone. 

My  legs. 

My  knee. 


122 


SKALZI    VOCABULARY. 


Kaiikkeglete.  My  arm.  * 

Kakegliek.  My  foot. 

Tewwo.  Gun,  bow. 

Akke.  Arrow. 

Akuttelg.  Axe. 

Yakkesomelg.  Canoe. 

Glenn.  Shoes. 

Yakkyt.  Tobacco. 

Ekkelglomouet.  Sky. 

Nettennlkke.  Sun. 
Kitselgmittelgnukkaky.     Moon. 

Akelgnohoos.  Star. 

Yokeyitnenne.  Day. 

Kilgmouit.  Night. 

Nukkokigittene.  Light. 

Nemmogonne.  Darkness. 

Woulgn^m.  Morning. 

Glemas'it.  Spring. 

Akkfisoke.  Summer. 

Suppenekkoot.  Autumn. 

Wennoui't.  Winter. 

Akkomi.  Wind. 

Numma.  Thunder. 

Kelgglettelglig.  Lightning. 
Akkeglukkekakkek.          Rain. 

Akkeglo.  Snow. 

Kappekamakd.  Hail. 

Akinnekukko.  Fire. 

Woo.  Water. 


SKALZI    VOCABULARY. 

Akowite. 

Ice. 

Ammak. 

Land. 

Akkelgglei't. 

River. 

Akukkonok. 

Lake. 

Akukglupgloi't. 

Valley. 

Akowoglrit. 

•/ 

Mountain. 

Akankammilg. 

Island. 

Ndki. 

Stone. 

Kaimskaglaggane. 

Salt. 

Nilgko. 

Iron. 

Kakammogomoolg. 

Hoe. 

Akaniggelg. 

Powder. 

Akke. 

Ball. 

Akugglek. 

Meat. 

Kittekwakulggwa. 

Flour. 

Awomo. 

Medicine. 

Akenitsglaa. 

Tree. 

Akukglekkopilg. 

Leaf. 

Akitssekelg. 

Bark. 

Sahelg. 

Grass. 

Gelgsi. 

Dog. 

Glukkopo. 

Buffalo. 

Nappeko. 

Black  bear. 

Kakki. 

Wolf. 

Suppeky. 

Deer. 

Glowwo. 

Elk. 

Sinna. 

Beaver. 

Akannukglam. 

Snake. 

AkkemakkS. 

123 


124 


SKALZI    VOCABULARY. 


Akkinnekaha. 

Feathers. 

Akowlte. 

Wings. 

Tiyakkegle. 

Duck. 

Egglewe. 

Pigeon. 

Kiyakkeglo. 

Fish. 

Swakkamo. 

Salmon. 

Wielg. 

Sturgeon. 

Kakikkeglit. 

My  name. 

KammenukkSglo. 

White. 

Kennehoos. 

Red. 

Kamkokukkolg. 

Black. 

Kammakkesin. 

Yellow. 

Kakkegloyitteky. 

Green. 

Kowilgky. 

Great. 

Kitssekunnu. 

Small. 

Kisseraakkek^. 

Strong. 

Tilgnemme. 

Old. 

KitssekunnG. 

Young. 

Kissook. 

Good. 

Kesahan. 

Bad. 

Kesaliannelgke. 

Ugly. 

Gettenukken. 

Alive. 

Kiep.              . 

Dead. 

Kiskcttcglei't. 

Cold. 

Kuttemelggliit. 

Warm. 

Kammin. 

I. 

Ninko. 

Thou. 

Ninksish. 

He. 

Kammenelggle. 

We. 

SKALZI    VOCABULARY. 

Ninkomshkelg.  You. 

Ninkoish.  They. 

Tuno.  This. 

Kappi.  All. 

Yenakkenne.  Many. 

Kelggle.  Who. 

Akattek.  Near. 

Now  sinnemomteke.  To-day. 

Walgkowa.  Yesterday. 

Kannewouit.  To-morrow. 

H6.  Yes. 

Mats.  No. 

Woussilg  ikkene.  I  eat. 

Woussilg  ikougle.  I  drink. 
Wousnenglukkapekanne.      I  run. 

Wounowesgoume.  I  sing. 

Woutskomnene.  I  sleep. 

Woulsisgenni.  I  speak. 

Onuppegonne.  I  see. 

Outsglekelne.  I  love. 

Onepilne.  I  kill. 

Onesakkenoune.  I  sit. 

Onewekene.  I  stand. 

Woutsnagge.  I  go. 

Oulsinglewmo.  I  am  angry. 

Oultakatinc.  I  am  lazy. 

Oulsukkekokme.  I  am  glad. 
11* 


125 


126 


NUMERALS. 


INDIANS  OF  THE  MISSOURI  RIVER. 


Omaha. 

Otto. 

Mandan. 

1.  Wiachtshe. 

Yanki. 

Niewatza. 

2.  Naml>ah. 

No  we. 

Nopa. 

3.  Thabenni. 

Tani. 

Naw§. 

4.  Dabab. 

Tow6. 

Topa. 

5.  Satah. 

Thatab. 

Kiggou. 

6.  PhapS. 

Scbakwe. 

Ekkawa. 

7.  Penumba. 

Scbama. 

Vhapo. 

8.  Pelhabenni. 

Grerabenni. 

Nopapi. 

9.  Shanka. 

Shumke. 

Niwatzapie. 

10.  Greba. 

Krepenne. 

Piaka. 

Pawnee. 

1.  Asko. 

2.  Pipko. 

3.  Tawit. 

4.  Sbititch. 

5.  Shiouks. 

6.  Shiksbapeacb. 

7.  Pikousbiksbapcab. 

8.  Tpwikshapeach. 

9.  Looksbiriwar. 
10.  Looksbirri. 


Rickarie. 
Acbko. 
Pipko. 
Tawit. 
SchStilcb. 
Schioug. 
Scbapix. 
Scbapitswe^r. 
Tawikshapiesh. 
Loosfshiriwar. 

o 

Looggbent. 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  127 


LETTER  OF  GENERAL  HARNEY. 

HEADQUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OK  ORKGOX. 
Fort  Vancouver,  W.  T.,  June  1,  1859. 

SIR  : — I  have  the  honor  to  report,  for  the  infor 
mation  of  the  general-in-chief,  the  arrival  at  this 
place,  on  the  28th  ultimo,  of  a  deputation  of  Indian 
chiefs  from  the  upper  Pend-d'Oreilles,  lower  Pend- 
d'Oreilles,  Flatheads,  Spokans,  Colville,  and  Co3iir- 
d'Alene  Indians,  on  a  visit,  suggested  by  myself 
through  the  kind  offices  of  the  Reverend  Father  De 
Smet,  who  has  been  with  these  tribes  the  past  win 
ter,  and  has  counselled  them,  both  as  an  agent  of 
the  Government  and  in  his  clerical  capacity,  as  to 
the  advantages  accruing  to  them  by  preserving 
peaceable  and  friendly  relations  with  the  whites  at 
all  times. 

These  chiefs  have  all  declared  to  me  the  friendly 
desires  which  now  animate  them  towards  our  peo 
ple,  and  they  assure  me  that  their  own  several  tribes 
are  all  anxiously  awaiting  their  return,  to  confirm 
the  peace  and  good-will  they  are  hereafter  deter 
mined  to  preserve  and  maintain.  Two  of  these 
chiefs, — one  of  the  upper  Pend-d'Oreilles  and  the 
other  of  the  Flatheads, — report  that  the  proudest 
boast  of  their  respective  tribes,  is  the  fact  that  no 


128  .  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

white  man's  blood  lias  ever  been  shed  by  any  one 
of  either  nation.  This  statement  is  substantiated 
by  Father  De  Smet.  The  chiefs  of  the  other  tribes 
mentioned,  state  their  people  now  regret  they  had 
been  so  deceived  and  deluded  as  to  go  to  war  with 
the  whites  the  past  year.  They  tender  the  most 
earnest  assurances  that  such  will  never  be  the  case 
again.  All  of  these  chiefs  assert  there  will  be  no 
difficulty  for  the  future  as  regards  the  whites  trav 
elling  through  their  country,  or  in  the  occupation 
of  it. 

They  request  the  Government  to  secure  a  reser 
vation  to  their  people,  upon  which  they  desire  to 
live  and  be  protected. 

Kamiakin,  the  noted  chief  of  the  Yakimas,  came 
in  with  these  chiefs  as  far  as  Fort  Walla-walla,  with 
the  intention  of  surrendering  himself  to  my  custody, 
but  in  consequence  of  an  officious  interference  with 

these  Indians  on  the  part  of  Mr.  T ,  agent  for 

the  Flatheads,  Karniakin  became  alarmed,  and  re 
turned  to  his  people.  No  censure  is  to  be  attached 
to  Kamiakin  for  this  act,  and  I  have  caused  him  to 
be  notified  that  I  am  satisfied  with  his  present 
peaceful  intentions 

I  have  also  the  honor  to  inclose  a  copy  of  Father 
De  Smet's  report  as  to  the  Indian  tribes  he  has 
visited  the  past  winter,  which  shows  that  peace 
exists  among  themselves  as  well  as  with  the  whites ; 
and  from  my  own  observation  I  am  convinced  that 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  129 

with  proper  care,  another  Indian  war  of  any  mag 
nitude  cannot  soon  occur  in  this  department. 

It  gives  me  pleasure  to  commend  to  the  general- 
in-chief  the  able  and  efficient  services  the  Reverend 
Father  De  Sinet  has  rendered. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

W.  S.  HARNEY, 
Brigadier-general  commanding. 

ASSISTANT  ADJUTANT-GENERAL, 
Headquarters  of  the  Army,  N.  Y.  City. 


130  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 


LETTER  OF  FATHER  DE  SMET. 

FORT  VANCOUVER,  May  25,  1859. 
DEAR  CAPTAIN  : 

Towards  the  end  of  last  March,  owing  to  the 
deep  snows  and  the  impracticableness  of  the  moun 
tain  passes,  I  received  your  kind  favor  of  the  1st  of 
January  of  the  present  year.  I  am  happy  to  learn 
that  my  request  to  the  general,  about  bringing 
down  to  Vancouver  a  deputation  of  the  various 
chiefs  of  the  upper  tribes,  met  with  his  approval. 
I  have  no  doubt,  from  the  happy  dispositions  in 
which  I  left  them  at  Walla-walla,  the  general's 
advice  and  counsel  will  be  cheerfully  and  punctually 
followed  out  by  them,  and  will  prove  highly  bene 
ficial  to  their  respective  tribes,  and  consolidate  the 
peace  established  last  fall  by  Colonel  Wright. 

During  my  stay  among  the  Rocky  Mountain 
Indians,  in  the  long  and  dreary  winter,  from  the 
21st  of  November  last  until  the  end  of  April,  I 
have  carried  out,  as  far  as  lay  in  my  power,  the 
instructions  of  the  general.  I  succeeded,  I  think, 
in  removing  many  doubts  and  prejudices  against 
the  intentions  of  the  Government,  and  against  the 
whites  generally,  which  were  lurking  in  the  minds 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  131 

of  a  great  number  of  the  most  influential  Indians. 
I  held  frequent  conversations  with  the  chieftains  of 
the  Coeur-d'Alenes,  the  Spokans,  several  of  the 
Shuyelpees,  or  Kettlefalls,  and  the  lower  Kalispels, 
who  had  chiefly  aided,  particularly  the  two  first- 
mentioned  tribes,  in  their  lawless  and  savage  attacks 
on  Colonel  Steptoe,  and  their  war  with  Colonel 
Wright. 

These  various  tribes,  with  the  exception,  perhaps, 
of  a  small  portion  of  lawless  Kettlefalls,  and  lower 
Kalispels,  are  well  disposed,  and  will  faithfully 
adhere  to  the  conditions  prescribed  by  Colonel 
Wright,  and  to  any  future  requests  and  proposals 
of  treaties  coming  from  Government.  The  upper 
Pend-d'Oreilles,  the  Koetenays,  and  Flatheads,  I 
found,  as  years  ago,  strong  friends  and  adherents  to 
the  whites,  and  I  have  every  reason  to  think  that 
they  will  remain  faithful ;  they  ever  glory,  and 
truly,  that  not  a  drop  of  a  white  man's  blood  has 
ever  been  spilled  by  any  one  of  their  respective 
tribes.  When  I  proposed  to  them  that  from  each 
tribe  a  chief  should  accompany  me  down  to  Fort 
Vancouver,  to  pay  their  respects  to  the  general, 
and  to  listen  to  his  advice,  all  eagerly  consented, 
and  they  kept  in  readiness  for  the  long  journey  as 
soon  as  the  snow  would  have  sufficiently  disap 
peared.  Meanwhile,  Major  Owen,  agent  among 
the  Flatheads,  arrived  at  St.  Ignatius'  Mission,  and 
made  known  to  me  that  he  had  received  orders 


132  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

from  the  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs  and  from 
Commissioner  Mix,  to  bring  down  to  Salem  a  chief 
of  each  tribe  of  the  upper  country.  Upon  this 
declaration  I  persuaded  the  Indians  that  as  Major 
Owen  had  received  orders  from  the  highest  author 
ity  he  superseded  me,  and  they  should  look  upon 
him  as  their  leader  in  this  expedition,  while  I  would 
follow  on  with  them,  as  far  as  practicable  and  I 
Avould  be  allowed.  The  major  having  brought  no 
provisions  for  them,  I  lodged  the  chiefs  in  my  own 
tent,  and  provided  them  with  all  necessary  supplies 
from  the  16th  of  April  until  the  13th  instant,  the 
day  on  which  we  reached  Walla-walla,  and  where 
the  chiefs  were  liberally  provided  for  by  Captain 
Dent,  in  command  of  the  fort.  The  deputation  of 
chiefs  was  stopped  at  Walla-walla  by  Major  Owen, 
to  await v  an  express  he  had  sent  on  from  Spokan 
prairie,  with,  instructions  to  the  superintendent  at 
Salem.  My  own  instructions  from  the  general, 
according  to  your  letter  of  the  1st  of  January,  "To 
return  to  Fort  Vancouver  as  early  in  the  spring  as 
practicable,  for  some  contingency  might  arise  re 
quiring  the  general's  presence  elsewhere,"  hurried 
me  down  in  compliance  with  said  order.  With 
regard  to  Kamiakin,  and  his  brother  Schloom,  I 
held  several  talks  with  them  in  February,  March, 
and  April,  and  acquainted  them  with  the  general's 
order,  wish,  and  desire  in  their  regard,  namely,  that 
they  should  follow  me,  and  surrender  into  his 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  133 

hands,  assuring  them,  in  the  general's  own  words, 
that  "the  Government  is  Always  generous  to  a 
fallen  foe,  though  it  is  at  the  same  time  determined 
to  protect  its  citizens  in  every  part  of  its  territory," 
&c.  They  invariably  listened  with  attention  and 
respect.  Kamiakin  made  an  open  avowal  of  all  he 
had  done  in  his  wars  against  the  Government  of 
the  country,  particularly  in  the  attack  on  Colonel 
Steptoe,  and  in  the  war  with  Colonel  Wright. 
Kamiakin  stated  that  he  strongly  advised  his  peo 
ple  to  the  contrary,  but  was  at  last  drawn  into  the 
contest  bv  the  most  opprobrious  language  the  de 
ceitful  Telgawax  upbraided  him  with  in  full  coun 
cil,  in  presence  of  the  various  chiefs  of  the  Cceur- 
d'Alenes,  Spokans,  and  Pelouses.  Kamiakin  re 
peatedly  declared  to  me,  and  with  the  greatest 
apparent  earnestness,  that  he  never  was  a  murderer ; 
and,  whenever  he  could,  he  restrained  his  people 
against  all  violent  attacks  on  whites  passing  through 
the  country.  On  my  way  down  to  Vancouver 
from  St.  Ignatius'  Mission,  I  met  him  again,  near 
Thompson's  prairie,  on  Clarke's  Fork.  Kamiakin 
declared  he  would  go  down  and  follow  me  if  he 
had  a  horse  to  ride,  his  own  not  being  in  a  condi 
tion  to  undertake  a  long  journey.  •  I  had  none  to 
lend  at  that  moment.  At  my  arrival  in  the  Spokan 
prairie,  meeting  with  Gerry,  one  of  the  Spokan 
chiefs,  I  acquainted  him  with  the  circumstance,  and 
entreated  him,  for  the  sake  of  Kamiakin  and  his 

12 


134  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

poor  children,  to  send  him  a  horse  and  an  invitation 
to  come  on  and  to  accompany  the  other  chiefs  to 
Walla-walla,  and  hence  to  Vancouver;  it  being 
his  best  opportunity  to  present  himself  before  the 
general  and  superintendent,  in  order  to  expose  his 
case  to  them  and  obtain  rest  and  peace.  Gerry 
complied  with  my  request,  and  Kamiakin  soon 
presented  himself  and  joined  the  other  chiefs.  I 
had  daily  conversations  with  him  until  he  reached 
Walla-walla :  he  places  implicit  confidence  in  the 
generosity  of  the  general.  I  believe  him  sincere  in 
his  repeated  declarations  that  henceforth  nothing 
shall  ever  be  able  to  withdraw  him  again  from  the 
path  of  peace,  or,  in  his  own  words,  "to  unbury 
arid  raise  the  tomahawk  against  the  whites."  My 
candid  impression  is,  should  Kamiakin  be  allowed 
to  return  soon,  pardoned  and  free,  to  his  country,  it 
will  have  the  happiest  and  most  salutary  effect 
among  the  upper  Indian  tribes,  and  facilitate  greatly 
all  future  transactions  and  views  of  Government  in 
their  regard.  The  Indians  are  anxiously  awaiting 
the  result,  I  pray  that  it  may  terminate  favorably 
with  Kamiakin.  The  sight  of  Kamiakin's  children, 
the  poverty  and  misery  in  which  I  found  them 
plunged,  drew  abundant  tears  from  my  eyes.  Ka 
miakin,  the  once  powerful  chieftain,  who  possessed 
thousands  of  horses  and  a  large  number  of  cat 
tle,  has  lost  all,  and  is  now  reduced  to  the  most 
abject  poverty.  His  brother  Schloom,  if  he  lives, 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  135 

will  come  in  in  the  course  of  the  summer.  I  left 
him  at  Clarke's  Fork  sickly  and  almost  blind :  he 
could  only  travel  by  small  journeys.  Telgawax,  a 
Pelouse,  I  think  is  among  the  Buffalo  Nez-Perces ; 
from  all  I  can  learn,  he  has  been  the  prime  mover 
in  all  the  late  wars  against  Colonel  Steptoe  and 
Colonel  Wright.  His  influence  is  not  great,  but  he 
remains  unceasing  in  his  endeavors  to  create  bitter 
feelings  against  the  whites,  whenever  he  can  meet 
with  an  opportunity. 

With  the  highest  consideration  of  respect  and 
esteem  for  our  worthy  general,  and  his  assistant 
adjutant-general,  I  remain,  dear  Captain, 

Your  humble  and  obedient  servant, 
P.  J.  DE  SMET,  S.  J., 

Chaplain,  U.  S.  A. 
A.  PLEABONTON, 
Captain  2d  Dragoons,  A.  Adjutant-general. 


136  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 


LETTER  OF  CAPTAIN  PLEASONTON. 

HEADQUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  OREGON. 
Fort  Vancouver,  W.  T.,  June  1,  1859. 

MY  DEAR  FATHER  : 

The  general  commanding  instructs  me  to  in 
close  a  copy  of  his  special  order,  No.  59,  of  this 
date,  authorizing  you  to  return  to  St.  Louis  through 
the  different  tribes  of  the  interior,  which  you  are  so 
desirous  to  visit  once  again,  for  the  purpose  of  con 
firming  them  in  their  good  disposition  towards  the 
whites,  as  well  as  to  renew  their  zeal  and  intelli 
gence  in  the  elements  of  Christianity, — the  means 
so  signally  productive  of  good-will  and  confidence, 
in  your  labors  of  the  past  winter,  requiring  such 
self-denial  and  resolution. 

On  your  arrival  in  St.  Louis,  the  general  desires 
you  to  report  by  letter  to  the  adjutant-general  at 
Washington,  when  your  relations  with  the  military 
service  will  cease,  unless  otherwise  ordered  by  the 
War  Department. 

The  general  is  anxious  that  I  should  communi 
cate  to  you  the  deep  regret  with  which  he  feels 
your  separation  from  the  service,  and  in  making 
the  announcement  he  is  assured  the  same  feeling 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  137 

extends  to  all  those  who  have  in  any  way  been  as 
sociated  with  yon. 

By  the  campaign  of  last  summer  submission  had 
been  conquered,  but  the  embittered  feelings  of  the 
two  races,  excited  by  war,  still  existed,  and  it  re 
mained  for  you  to  supply  that  which  was  wanting 
to  the  sword.  It  was  necessary  to  exercise  the 
strong  faith  which  the  red  man  possessed  in  your 
purity  and  holiness  of  character,  to  enable  the  gen 
eral  to  evince  successfully  towards  them  the  kind 
intentions  of  the  Government,  and  to  restore  confi 
dence  and  repose  to  their  minds.  This  has  been 
done  :  the  victory  is  yours,  and  the  general  will 
take  great  pleasure  in  recording  your  services  at 
the  War  Department;  for  such  services  no  one 
feels  more  sensibly  than  yourself  the  proper  ac 
knowledgment  is  linked  with  the  hopes  that  are 
cherished  in  the  fulfilment  of  a  Christian  duty. 

Satisfied  that  all  necessary  blessings  will  be  be 
stowed  upon  you,  in  whatever  sphere  of  duty  you 
may  be  called  to  serve,  the  general  will  always  be 
happy  to  tender  to  you  the  evidences  of  his  esteem 
and  friendship.  I  remain,  Father,  with  the  highest 
respect,  Your  most  obedient  servant, 

A.  PLEASONTON, 
Captain  2d  Dragoons,  A.  Adjt.-gen. 

EEV.  P.  J.  DE  SMET,  S.  J., 
Chaplain,  &c.,  Fort  Vancouver,  W.  T. 
12* 


138  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 


LETTER  OF  GENERAL  HARNEY. 

HEADQUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  OREGON. 
Fort  Vancouver,  W.  T.,  June  3,  1859. 

SIR  : — I  have  the  honor  to  inclose,  for  the  infor 
mation  of  the  general -in-chief,  an  interesting  report 
from  the  Rev.  P.  J.  De  Smet,  describing  the  country 
of  upper  Washington  Territory,  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  now  occupied  by  various 
Indian  tribes. 

This  report  is  valuable  from  the  rare  advantages 
Father  De  Smet  possessed  for  many  years,  in  his 
position  as  missionary  among  those  tribes,  to  obtain 
accurate  information  of  the  country ;  and  his  purity 
of  character  will  always  give  respect  and  importance 
to  his  statements. 

The  description  he  gives  of  the  upper  Clarke's 
Fork,  the  St.  Mary's  or  Bitter  Root  valley,  the 
valley  of  Hell's  Gate  Fork,  the  upper  valleys  on  the 
headwaters  of  Beaver  River,  and  the  Koetenay  coun 
try,  in  connection  with  his  suggestion  of  collecting 
the  remnants  of  the  Indian  tribes  in  Oregon  and 
Washington  Territories  in  that  region  upon  a  suit 
able  reservation,  is  well  worthy  the  serious  consid 
eration  of  the  Government. 

The  country  spoken  of  will  not  be  occupied  by 


.INDIAN    SKETCHES.  139 

the  whites  for  at  least  twenty  years :  it  is  difficult 
of  access,  and  does  not  offer  the  same  inducements 
to  the  settler  that  are  everywhere  presented  to  him 
on  the  coast. 

The  system  adopted  in  California  of  placing  large 
numbers  of  Indians  upon  a  single  reservation,  and 
causing  them  to  adopt  summarily  the  habits  of  life 
of  the  whites,  failed  in  consequence  of  the  abrupt; 
transition  brought  to  bear  upon  these  simple  and 
suspicious  people.  The  plan  proposed  by  Father 
De  Smet  is  not  open  to  this  objection  :  it  places  the 
Indians  in  a  country  abounding  with  game  and  fish, 
with  sufficient  arable  land  to  encourage  them  in  its 
gradual  cultivation ;  and  by  the  aid  of  the  missionaries 
at  present  with  them,  that  confidence  and  influence 
will  be  established  over  their  minds,  by  degrees,  as 
will  induce  them  to  submit  to  the  restraints  of  civ 
ilization,  when  the  inevitable  decree  of  time  causes 
it  to  pass  over  them. 

From  what  I  have  observed  of  the  Indian  affairs 
of  this  department,  the  missionaries  among  them 
possess  a  power  of  the  greatest  consequence  in  their 
proper  government,  and  one  which  cannot  be  ac 
quired  by  any  other  influence.  They  control  the 
Indian  by  training  his  superstitions  and  fears  to 
revere  the  religion  they  possess,  by  associating  the 
benefits  they  confer  with  the  guardianship  and  pro 
tection  of  the  Great  Spirit  of  the  whites.  The 
history  of  the  Indian  race  on  this  continent  has 


140  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

shown  that  the  missionary  succeeded  where  the 
soldier  and  civilian  have  failed ;  it  would  be  well 
for  us  to  profit  by  the  lessons  its  experience  teaches, 
in  an  instance  which  offers  so  many  advantages  to 
the  white  as  well  as  to  the  red  man,  and  adopt  the 
wise  and  humane  suggestion  of  Father  De  Smet. 
I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

W.  S.  HARNEY, 
Brigadier-general  commanding. 

ASSISTANT  ADJUTANT-GENERAL, 
Headquarters  of  the  Army,  N.  Y.  City. 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  141 

LETTER  OF  FATHER  DE  SMET. 

FORT  VANCOUVER,  W.  T.,  May  28,  1859. 
DEAR  CAPTAIN  : 

In  compliance  with  the  request  of  our  worthy 
brigadier-general,  I  herewith  give  you  a  short  nar 
rative  of  the  upper  Washington  Territory,  as  yet 
occupied  by  various  Indian  tribes,  as  far  as  my 
views  and  observations  may  have  extended  during 
several  years'  residence  in  that  region,  and  particu 
larly  during  the  last  winter  trip  I  performed  under 
the  special  directions  of  the  general. 

The  distance  from  Fort  Walla-walla  to  the  great 
Spokan  prairie,  through  which  the  Spokan  River 
flows,  is  about  150  miles.  This  whole  region  is 
undulating  and  hilly,  and  though  generally  of  a 
light  soil,  it  is  covered  with  a  rich  and  nutritious 
grass,  forming  grazing  fields  where  thousands  of 
cattle  might  be  easily  raised.  It  is  almost  destitute 
of  timber  until  you  are  within  thirty  miles  of  the 
Spokan  prairie,  where  you  find  open  woods,  and 
clusters  of  trees  scattered  far  and  wide  ;  this  portion, 
particularly,  contains  a  great  number  of  lakes  and 
ponds,  with  ranges  of  long  walls  of  large  basaltic 
columns,  and  beds  of  basalt.  The  country  abounds 
in  nutritious  roots  (bitter-root,  camash,  &c.),  on 


142  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

which  principally  the  Indians  subsist  for  a  great 
portion  of  the  year.  The  Spokan  prairie  is  about 
thirty  miles  from  north  to  south,  and  from  east  to 
west,  bounded  all  around  by  well-wooded  hills,  and 
mountains  of  easy  access.  The  soil  is  generally 
light,  though  covered  with  abundance  of  grass. 

Along  the  base  of  the  hills  and  the  mountains 
patches  of  several  acres  of  rich  arable  land  may 
be  found.  The  Spokan  prairie  is  claimed  by  the 
Cceur-d'Alene  Indians.  Taking  Cceur-d'Alene  Lake 
as  a  central  point,  their  country  may  extend  fifty 
miles  to  every  point  of  the  compass.  The  lake  is  a 
beautiful  sheet  of  clear  water,  embedded  amid 
lofty  and  high  mountain  bluffs,  and  shaded  with  a 
variety  of  pines,  firs,  and  cedars;  in  its  whole 
circumference,  to  my  knowledge,  there  is  no  ara 
ble  land.  The  low  bottoms  in  several  of  its  many 
bays  are  subject  to  frequent  and  long  inunda 
tions  in  the  spring.  The  lake  is  about  thirty  miles 
in  extent  from  south  to  north,  its  width  throughout 
is  from  one  to  two  or  three  miles.  It  receives  its 
waters  principally  from  two  beautiful  rivers,  the 
St.  Joseph  and  the  Coeur-d'Alene  rivers,  running 
parallel  from  east  to  west;  each  is  from  sixty  to 
eighty  yards  broad,  with  a  depth  of  from  twenty  to 
thirty  feet.  After  the  spring  freshet  their  currents 
are  smooth  and  even,  and  are  hardly  perceptible  for 
about  thirty  miles  from  their  mouths,  and  until 
they  penetrate  into  the  high  mountain  region  which 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  143 

separates  their  waters  from  those  of  Clarke's  Fork 
and  of  the  St.  Mary's  or  Bitter  Root  River ;  their 
respective  valleys  are  from  one  to  three  miles  broad, 
and  are  much  subject  to  inundations  in  the  spring; 
the  narrow  strips  of  land  which  border  the  two 
rivers  are  of  the  richest  mould.  The  deep  snows  in 
winter,  the  ice  and  water,  keep  these  valleys  literally 
blocked  up  during  several  months  (last  winter  it 
continued  for  about  five  months).  Small  lakes,  from 
one  to  three  miles  in  circumference,  are  numerous  in 
the  two  valleys.  Camash,  and  other  nutritious  roots 
and  berries  abound  in  them.  Beautiful  forests  of 
pine,  &c.,  are  found  all  along.  The  mountains  bor 
dering  the  two  valleys  are  generally  of  an  oval  shape, 
and  well  wooded  ;  a  few  only  are  snow-topped  during 
the  greatest  portion  of  the  year.  All  the  rivers  and 
rivulets  in  the  Coeur-d'Alene  country  abound  won 
derfully  in  mountain  trout  and  other  fish.  The 
forests  are  well  stocked  with  deer,  with  black  and 
brown  bears,  and  with  a  variety  of  fur-bearing  ani 
mals.  The  long  winters  and  deep  snows  must 
retard  the  settlement  of  this  country. 

Clarke's  Fork,  at  its  crossing  below  the  great 
Kalispel  Lake,  is  about  forty  miles  distant  from 
Spokan  prairie.  Clarke's  Fork  is  one  of  the  princi 
pal  tributaries  of  the  upper  Columbia.  From  its 
entrance  into  the  lake  to  the  Niyoutzamin,  or  Ver 
milion  River,  a  distance  of  about  seventy  miles,  I 
counted  thirty-eight  rapids.  You  meet  with  a  sue- 


144  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

cession  of  rapids  and  falls  to  its  very  head.  Before  it 
joins  the  Columbia,  for  a  distance  of  about  thirty 
miles,  its  rapids  and  .falls  are  insuperable.  In  its 
whole  length  Clarke's  River  has  few  spots  of  good 
and  arable  soil,  with  ranges  of  dense  and  thick 
forests.  The  upper  portion  of  the  river,  and  its 
upper  tributaries,  have  a  succession  of  large  prairies 
of  light  soil  filled  with  water-worn  pebbles,  indi 
cating  bottoms  or  beds  of  ancient  lakes.  All  these 
prairies  are  covered  with  a  luxuriant  and  nutritious 
grass,  and  owing,  probably,  to  the  position  of  the 
high  mountains  by  which  they  are  surrounded,  they 
are  little  or  not  covered  with  snows  in  the  winter 
season.  Such  are  Thompson's  prairie,  Horse  prai 
rie,  Camash  prairie,  Jaco  prairie,  Flathead  Lake 
prairie,  with  several  other  minor  grazing  fields. 
Far  and  wide  apart,  spots  of  less  or  more  acres  of 
good  arable  land  are  found ;  but  too  few,  indeed,  to 
make  it  for  years  to  come,  a  thickly  settled  portion 
for  the  whites.  The  country  of  the  upper  Clarke's 
Fork,  the  St.  Mary's  or  Bitter  Root  valley,  the 
valley  of  Hell's  Gate  Fork,  the  upper  valleys  on  the 
Beaver  headwaters,  the  Koetenay  country  within 
the  49th  degree,  and  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
United  States,  appear  to  be  laid  out  and  designed 
by  Providence,  to  serve  as  reserves  for  the  remnants 
of  the  various  scattered  tribes  of  Oregon  and  Wash 
ington  territory,  at  least  for  some  years  to  come. 
This  region,  I  should  think,  might  contain  all  the 


INDIAN    SKETCHES.  145 

Indians,  and  afford  them  the  means  of  subsistence. 
The  rivers  could  supply  them  with  fish,  the  prairies 
with  domestic  cattle ;  deer  and  elk  are  still  abun 
dant,  the  buffalo  grounds  are  not  far  off;  wild  edi 
ble  roots  and  fruits  are  plenty ;  while  in  each  sec 
tion  a  sufficient  portion  of  arable  land  might  be 
found  and  reclaimed  for  their  sustenance.  Should 
all -the  remnants  of  Indians  be  gathered  in  this 
upper  region,  one  single  military  post  would  suffice 
to  protect  them  against  all  encroachments  and  in 
fringements  of  evil-disposed  whites  on  Indians,  and 
of  Indians  on  the  rights  of  the  whites.  As  the  re 
serves  are  now  laid  out  in  Washington  and  Oregon 
Territories,  far  and  wide  apart,  surrounded  and  acces 
sible  on  all  sides  by  whites,  experience  teaches  that 
it  must  lead  to  the  speedy  destruction  of  the  poor 
Indians.  Liquor  and  its  concomitants,  sickness  and 
vice,  will  soon  accomplish  the  work.  Providence 
has  intrusted  and  placed  these  weak  tribes  under 
the  care  and  protection  of  a  powerful  government, 
whose  noble  end  has  always  been  to  protect  and 
advance  them.  If  aided  and  assisted,  in  a  proper 
situation,  with  agricultural  implements,  with  schoolsr 
mills,  blacksmiths,  &c.,  I  have  no  doubt  but  thous 
ands  of  the  aborigines  might  be  reclaimed,  and  live 
to  bless  their  benefactors.  In  the  topographical 
memoir  of  Colonel  Wright's  campaign,  recently 
published  (page  75),  I  read  to  this  effect:  "The 
government,  in  its  wisdom  and  prudence,  should 
18 


146  INDIAN    SKETCHES. 

make  some  timely  provision  for  these  many  Indians 
by  selecting  for  and  placing  them  upon  proper 
reservations,  in  order  that  they  may  not  be  caused 
to  disappear  by  the  fast-approaching  waves  of  civil 
ization  and  settlement,  that  must  overtake  and 
eventually  destroy  them."  I  have  labored  for  sev 
eral  years  among  the  upper  tribes  in  the  capacity 
of  missionary.  My  companions  have  carried  on  the 
work  to  the  present  time,  and  will,  I  hope,  continue 
their  labors.  The  want  of  adequate  means  has 
greatly  retarded  one  of  the  principal  objects  we  had 
in%view, — their  civilization.  We  can  all,  and  do, 
cheerfully  testify  to  the  good  dispositions  of  these 
upper  tribes.  Should  they  be  supplied  with  the 
necessary  implements  of  agriculture,  with  oxen, 
<fcc,,  they  would  all  work,  and  would  soon  place 
themselves  above  want  and  in  comfortable  circum 
stances.  As  for  schools,  all  are  anxious  to  have 
their  children  taught.  These  are  a  few  points  I 
desire  to  be  allowed  to  present  to  the  consideration 
of  the  general,  if  they  can  in  anywise  tend  to  the 
amelioration  of  the  lot  of  Indians.  "With  the  high 
est  sentiments  of  respect  and  esteem,  I  remain, 
Captain,  Your  humble  and  obedient  servant, 
P.  J.  DE  SMET,  S.  J., 

Chaplain,  &c.,  U.  S.  A. 
A.  PLEASONTON, 
Captain  2d  Dragoons,  A.  Adjutant-general. 


THE 


SHORT  INDIAN  CATECHISM, 


IN  USE  AMONG  THE 


FLATHEADS,  KALISPELS,  PENDS  DWEILLES, 

AND  OTHER  ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  INDIANS. 


INDIAN  CATECHISM. 


i. 

Question.  Tsost  o  kolins,  o  eshtitcstoms  o  jetil 
gvva  ? 

Answer.  Tkolinzotin  o  kokolis  o  koeshtitestes. 

Q.  Gulstem  Tkolinzotin  o  kolins,  gulstem  o 
eshtitestoms  ? 

A.  Tkolinzotin  kokolis  o  koeshtitestes  gul  ikssemi- 
penormm,  gul  iksgamenslmm,  gul  ikysenwenem ; 
tshei  gul  tik  eppel  ingwilgwiltcn  takypshoi. 

Q.  Stem  glo  Kolinzotin  ? 

A.  Kolinzotin  spagt-pagt,  tapshoi,  scliiiimlgest, 
cssia  eskolists,  cssia  essowitsli. 

Q,  Gulstem  koeszoti,  Kolinzotin  spagtpagt? 

A.  Netli  Kolinzotin  taop  skeltitsh. 

Q.  Gulstem  koeszoti  Kolinzotin  tapshoi? 

A.  Netli  Kolinzotin  ta  glo  elshei  m  ikskolis  neg5 
ta  kypshoi. 

Q.  Gulstem  koeszoti  Kolinzotin  schiiimlgest? 

A.  Netli  essia  glo  gest  Lkolinzotin  eltsi,  essenshi- 
itsin  gest  tel  essia  testem. 

Q.  Gulstem  koeszoti  Kolinzotin  essia  essowitsli  ? 


INDIAN  CATECHISM, 


i. 

Question.  Who  created  you  and  preserves  you 
to-day  ? 

Ansioer.  God  created  me  and  preserves  me. 

Q.  Why  did  God  create  you,  why  does  he  pre 
serve  you  ? 

A.  God  created  me  and  preserves  me,  that  I  may 
know  him,  that  I  may  love  him,  that  I  may  obey 
him  :  that  so  I  may  have  life  without  end. 

Q.  Who  is  God  ? 

A.  God  is  a  spirit,  without  end,  the  best,  omnip 
otent,  all-seeing. 

Q.  Why  do  you  say  that  God  is  a  spirit  ? 

A.  Because  God  has  no  body. 

Q.  Why  do  you  say  :  God  is  without  end  ? 

A.  Because  there  is  no  time  when  God  was  born, 
because  he  will  have  no  end. 

Q.  Why  do  you  say  :  God  is  the  best  ? 

A.  Because  all  good  is  in  God,  he  is  supremely 
good  above  all  things. 

Q.  Why  do  you  say  that  God  sees  all  things  ? 

13* 


150  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 

A.  Nctli  Kolinzotin  essowitch  essia  jetilgwa,  glo 
tie  tgwetsh,  iifigo  jetille  glo  elshei,  m  kytssageel 
nego  glo  nish  shot  ky  spoos. 

Q.  Letien  glo  Kolinzotin  ? 

A.  Kolinzotin  Istittshemaskyt  nego  lessemilko 
jelestoleg. 

II. 

Q.  A  tsgwewit  Kolinzotin  ? 

A.  Ta,  itslienaks  glo  Kolinzotin. 

Q.  A  Isgwt-gwit  pcrsones  Lkolinzotin  ? 

A.  One,  tshetsliegles  persones  Lkolinzotin,  Ill6uw, 
Skouse,  Saint  Pagtpagt;  sliei  essonstum  Sainte 
Trinite. 

Q.  Stem  glo  Sainte  Trinite  ? 

A.  Sainte  Trinite  etshenaks  Kolinzotin  Itshetshe- 
gles  persones. 

Q.  Illeuw  a  Kolinzotin  ? 

A.  One,  Illeuw  Kolinzotin. 

Q.  Skousfi  a  Kolinzotin  ? 

A.  One,  Skouse  Kolinzotin. 

Q.  Saint  Pagtpagt  a  Kolinzotin  ? 

A.  One,  Saint  Pagtpagt  Kolinzotin. 

Q.  Illeuw,  Skouse,  Saint  Pagtpagt,  a  tshetshegles 
Kolinzotin  ? 

A.  Ta;  tshetshegles  persones,  pin  itslienaks 
Kolinzotin. 

Q.  Gulstem  tshetshegles  persones  o  itshenaks 
Kolinzotin  ? 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  151 

A.  Because  God  sees  all  that  is  present,  what  is 
past,  and  what  will  happen  hereafter,  even  the  bot 
tom  of  our  hearts. 

Q.  Where  is  God  ? 

A.  God  is  in  heaven  and  in  all  the  earth. 


II. 

Q.  Are  there  several  gods  ? 

A.  No,  there  is  but  one  God. 

Q.  Are  there  several  persons  in  God  ? 

A.  Yes,  there  are  three  persons  in  God,  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost :  this  is  called 
the  Holy  Trinity. 

Q.  What  is  the  Holy  Trinity  ? 
j>  A.  The  Holy  Trinity  is  one  God  in  three  persons. 

Q.  Is  the  Father  God  ? 
A.  Yes,  the  Father  is  God. 
Q.  Is  the  Son  God  ? 
A.  Yes,  the  Son  is  God. 
Q.  Is  the  Holy  Ghost  God  I 
A.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  God. 
Q.  Are  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  three 
gods  ? 

A.  No ;  three  persons,  but  one  God. 

Q.  Why  are  the  three  persons  only  one  God  ? 


152  INDIAN    CATECHISM.. 

A.  Netli  tshetshegles  persones  etsgageel  1  essia 
testem. 

Q.  Sowct  tel  tshetshegles  persones  glokoutoont, 
glo  sliuti  glo  yoyot  ? 

A.  Ta;  tshetshegles  persones  yoto  etsgageel 
lessia  testem. 

Q.  Glo  tshetshegles  persones  a  estugtegulum 
Isenils  ? 

A.  One,  estugtegulum  Isenils,  itshenaks  tarn  shei 

itchcnaks. 

III. 

Q.  A  itshenaks  tel  tshetshegles  persones  kolist 
schyloug? 

A.  One,  itshenaks  kolist  schyloug. 

Q.  Sowct  tel  Itshetshegles  persones  kolist  schyloug? 

A.  Kolinzotin  Skouse.  *$. 

Q.  Etie  etsageel  Kolinzotin  Skouse  kolist  schy 
loug? 

A.  Kolinzotin  Skouse  kolist  schyloug,  kwyst  skel- 
titsh,  a  singappeus  etsageel  je  karnpilc. 

Q.  Tel  letien  Kolinzotin  Skouse  kwyst  skeltitsh 
o  singappeus  ? 

A.  Kolinzotin  Skouse  kwyst  skeltitsh  o  singap 
peus  tel  snitelses  stetshemish  Mary,  olkshllum 
Saint  Pagtpagt. 

Q.  Kolinzotin  SkousS  kolist  schyloug,  a  hoi 
Kolinzotin  ? 

A.  Ta,  Kolinzotin  SkousS  yettilgwa  Kolinzotin 
nego  schyloug. 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  153 

A.  Because  the  three  persons  are  equal  in  all 
things. 

Q.  Which  of  the  three  persons  is  the  great,  old, 
powerful  ? 

A.  No,  the  three  persons  are  equal  in  all  things. 

Q.  Do  the  three  persons  differ  from  each  other  ? 

A.  Yes,  they  differ ;  one  is  not  the  other. 

III. 
Q.  Did  one  of  the  three  persons  become  man  ? 

A.  Yes,  one  of  them  became  man. 

Q.  Which  of  the  three  persons  became  man  ? 

A.  The  Son  of  God. 

Q.  How  did  the  Son  of  God  become  man  ? 

A.  The  Son  of  God  became  man,  he  took  a  body 
and  soul  like  us. 

Q.  Whence  did  the  Son  of  God  take  his  body 
and  soul  ? 

A.  The  Son  of  God  took  his  body  and  soul  from 
the  womb  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  by  the  operation  of 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

Q.  Did  the  Son  of  God,  become  man,  cease  to 
be  God  ? 

A.  No,  the  Son  of  God  is  now  God  and  man. 


154  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 

Q.  Gulstem  Kolinzotin  Skouse  kolist  schylong  ? 

A.  Kolinzotin  Skouse  kolist  schyloug,  gul  kakyin 
nylgglis  glo  tcl  tyje,  gul  kakysgwitsils  kakel  ingwil- 
gwilsenta  kaypshoi. 

Q.  Sowet  glo  skests  Kolinzotin  Skouse,  kolist 
schyloug  ? 

A.  Kolinzotin  Skouse  kolist  schyloug,  Jesus 
Christ  glo  skwests. 

Q.  Sowet  Jesus  Christ  ? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  Kolinzotin  SkousS  kolist  schy 
loug. 

Q.  Letien  etsageel  Tjesus  Christ  o  ky  in  nyglis? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  kyinnyglglis  sttlils,  gul  kamplle 
lessy'imeus. 

Q.  Jesus  Christ  a  eltsi  glo  Itumtumny  ? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  eltelschyloug  tshatelkatilsh  glo 
telslil. 

Q.  Jesus  Christ  glo  eltelschyloug  kassip  a  sllle 
jelestolig? 

A.  Ta,  mousselopenstaskyt  glo  tel  eltelschyloug 
o  elnuwisk  schillis  csteltshemaskyt. 

Q.  Nam  elsgoui  jelestolig? 

A.  One,  Jesus  Christ  nem  elsgoui  jelestolig,  1  ets 
euwit  schalgalt,  iks  innemiepelems  glo  esgwilgwilt, 
glo  cstlil. 

Q.  Stem  glo  iks  innemiepelems  kyjelemigom 
Jesus  Christ? 

A.  Nem  gwiyousis  glo  gest  Istittshemaskyt,  nem 
gwelst  glokwaokot  lessoliep. 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  155 

Q.  Why  did  the  Son  of  God  become  man  ? 
A.  The  Son  of  God  became  man  to  redeem  us 
from  evil,  to  give  us  life  without  end. 

Q.  How  is  the  Son  of  God,  become  man,  called  { 

A.  The  Son  of  God,  become  man,  is  called  Jesus 
Christ. 

Q.  Who  is  Jesus  Christ  ? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  made  man. 

Q.  How  did  Jesus  Christ  redeem  us  ? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  redeemed  us  because  he  died  on 
the  Cross  for  us. 

Q.  Did  Jesus  Christ  remain  among  the  dead  ? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  came  to  life  on  the  third  day 
after  his  death. 

Q.  Did  Jesus  Christ  remain  long  here  on  earth 
after  he  came  to  life  again  ? 

A.  No ;  forty  days  after  he  came  to  life  again, 
he  ascended  to  heaven. 

Q.  Will  he  return  to  the  earth  ? 

A.  Yes,  Jesus  Christ  will  return  to  the  earth  on 
the  last  day,  to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead. 

Q.  What  will  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  judge  ? 

A.  He  will  take  the  good  to  heaven,  he  will  cast 
the  wicked  into  a  place  of  fire. 


156  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 


IV. 

Q.  Lsowct  Jesus  Christ  Itekwintes  glo  ky  semyl- 
tums  glo  skolkwclts,  glo  tshy  iksscmiiikeltums  Istitt- 
shemaskyt  ? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  tekwintes  1  on£go  miensotin  1 
ntshaumin. 

Q.  Stem  glo  Sintshaumin  ? 

A.  Sintshaumin  essia  glo  tshy  cssenoningwenemsh 
n£go  esseuwenemst  Jesus  Christ  innemitsinsotis. 

Q.  Sowet  glo  one"go  Jesus  Christ  innemitsinsotis  ? 

A.  Esarirostum  Pape,  eveque,  nfigo  kwailoks. 

Q.  A  gwict  glo  Sintshaumin  ? 

A.  Ta,  inko  glo  on6go  Sintshaumis  Jesus  Christ, 
ishy  onego  ingwilgwiltin. 

Q.  Letien  glo  onego  Sintshaumin  ? 

A.  Sintshaumin  Catholique,  Apostolique,  Ho- 
maine,  shy  glo  onego  Sintshaumis  Jesus  Christ. 

Q.  Sowet  o  jelcmigums  Sintshaumin  Jesus  Christ  ? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  jelemigum  ta  kysewitshtum. 
Pape  jelemigum  kysewitshstum. 

Q.  Sintshaumin  pcntitsh  a  essonegwi  glo  Ikyscm- 
yellills? 

A.  One,  nctli  pentitsh  estoggomim  t  Saint  Pagt- 
pagt. 

Q.  Letien  glo  tyje,  glo  tshy  o  ta  csscuwnemist 
Sintshaumin  Jesus  Christ  nrgo  glo  innernitsinsotie? 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  157 

IY. 

Q.  To  whom  did  Jesus.  Christ  commit  to  teach 
what  he  said,  to  show  the  way  of  heaven  ? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  committed  it  to  the  true  teachers 
of  his  Church. 

Q.  What  is  the  Church  ? 

A.  The  Church  is  all  who  believe  and  obey  the 
interpreters  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Q,  Who  are  the  true  interpreters  of  Jesus  Christ  ?. 

A.  They  are  called  Pope,  bishop,  and  priest. 

Q.  Are  there  more  churches  than  one? 

A.  NQ,  there  is  one  true  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  r 
in  it  alone  is  life  everlasting. 

Q.  Where  is  the  true  Church  ? 

A.  The  Catholic,  Apostolic,  Roman  Church,  that 
is  the  true  Church  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Q.  Who  is  the  head  of  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  ? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  head  that  we  see  not,  the 
Pope  is  the  head  that  we  see. 

Q.  Does  the  Church  always  speak  truly  in  what 
it  teaches  us  ? 

A.  Yes,  because  the  Holy  Ghost  always  di 
rects  it. 

Q.  What  sin  does  he  commit  who  does  not  obey 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  interpreters? 


158  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 

A.  Shy  glo  ingoutgoutsin,  glo  sinshiitemissotin  : 
shy  glo  ky  anwstum  herctique  :  tshy  esgwioustum 
lessoliep. 

Q.  Letien  m'etsageel  glo  kykclsot  in  kygwilgwilt 
Istittsheinaskyt? 

A.  Kakysageli  tgcst  schosigults  Kolinzotin. 

Q.  Sowet  glo  gest  schosigults  Kolinzotin? 

A.  Glo  shy  cppel  bapteme,  nego  essenoningwe- 
nemists  nego  cssenwcne'inists  skolkwclts  Kolinzotin. 

Q.  Letien  glo  kaksenoningwenfimm  ? 

A.  Shy  je  ky  amvamvstum  Itshanmin  Noningwc- 
nemin  Lkolinzotin  Illcuw,  etc. 

Q.  Anwst  glo  shy  ntshaiunin. 

A.  Noningweneinin  Lkolinzotin  Illcuw,  etc. 

Q.  A  esse  noningwenemstong  glo  shy  ntshaumin  ? 

A.  One,  noningwenemin,  netli  Kolinzotin  kog- 
"witsl  glosnoningwenetin  tel  bapteme. 

VI. 

Q.  Lstcm  o  kysougstum  glo  schosigults  Kolin- 
.zotin  ? 

A.  Lstakkatakkensout  essyimeus. 

Q.  Letien  m  etsageel  glo  kokostakketakkensout 
essyimeus  ? 

A.  Tekanten  istliltshemeshin,  tel  shy  lissemilshe- 
inelis,  tel  shy  lisshezikwe  lissintshummelkyt,  tel  shy 
listshishetsh  :  O  tson  Isk wests  Illeuw,  o  Skouse,  o 
Saint  Pagtpagt.  Komi  etsageel. 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  159 

A.  The  sin  of  arrogance,  pride,  which  is  called 
heresy  :  this  leads  to  fire. 

V. 

Q.  What  must  we  be  to  live  in  heaven  ? 

A.  We  must  act  as  good  children  of  God. 

Q.  Who  is  a  good'  child  of  God  ? 

A.  He  who  is  baptized,  and  believes  and  obeys 
the  word  of  God. 

Q.  Where  is  what  we  are  to  believe  ? 

A.  What  \ve  say  in  the  prayer :  "  I  believe  in 
God  the  Father,"  &c. 

Q.  Say  this  prayer. 

A.  I  believe  in  God  the  Father,  &c. 

Q.  Do  you  believe  this  prayer  ? 

A.  Yes ;  I  believe,  because  God  gave  me  faith  in 
baptism. 

VI. 

Q.  By  what  do  we  know  the  children  of  God  ? 

A.  By  the  making  of  the  sign  of  the  Cross. 
Q.  How  must  we  make  the  sign  of  the  Cross? 

A.  I  sign  the  forehead,  then  the  breast,  then  the 
left  shoulder,  then  the  right,  and  say  :  "  In  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  a'nd  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Amen." 


160  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 

Q.  Stem  glo  kysinkukkekomme  glolis  tstakketak 
kensout  essyimeus  ? 

A.  Kysinkukkckommeglolis  Saintc  Trinite  negtf 
glo  tlil  Jesus  Christ  essyimeus. 

Q.  Letien  o  etsageel  kysinkukkekomcglolils 
Sainte  Trinite  ? 

A.  Glo  ky  auwauw  Illcuw,  SkousS,  o  Saint  Pagt- 
pagt 

Q.  Letien  o  etsageel  kysinkukkekomeglolils  glo 
stills  Jesus  Christ  ? 

A.  Gul  ky  yimeuslum  Ikampile  glo  eshy  tlil  Jesus 
Christ. 

Q.  Plstem  m  kystak  ketakkensout  essyimeus  ? 

A.  Agal  kakstshaum,  nego  glo  testem  kykskolin- 
tum,  nego  glo  kykopillelt  kykskwentum  glo  tyje. 

Q.  Gulstem  o  kystakketakkensout  agal  kykst- 
shaum,  nego  testem  kykskolintum  ? 

A.  Ky  gvvitseltum  Lkolinzotin,  kyksolkschitlils 
tsenils,  gest  kykskolum. 

Q.  Gulstem  kykstakketakkensout,  agal  glo  kyko- 
pillilt  kykskwentum  tyje  ? 

A.  Kaksgalittestum  kaksolkschitlils  ta  kykskwen 
tum  glo  tyje. 

VII. 

Q.  Letien  o  kyksauro  auwstum  glo  kyksseuwene  'i 

A.  Lntshaumin  :  shy  glo  ko  Anjelemigum  Koan- 
kolinzotin  keijc,  etc. 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  161 

Q.  What  must  we  remember  when  we  make  the 
sign  of  the  Cross  ? 

A.  We  must  remember  the  Blessed  Trinity,  and 
that  Jesus  Christ  died  on  the  Cross. 

Q.  How  are  we  to  remember  the  Holy  Trinity  ? 

A.  Because  we  name  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost. 

Q.  How  do  we  remember  the  death  of  Jesus 
Christ? 

A.  Because  we  form  on  ourselves  the  Cross  on 
which  Jesus  Christ  died. 

Q.  When  must  we  make  the  sign  of  the  Cross? 

A.  Always  when  we  pray  and  when  we  do  any 
thing,  and  when  we  are  incited  to  do  any  evil. 

Q.  Why  do  we  make  the  Cross  before  we  pray 
or  do  any  thing  ? 

A.  We  give  them  to  God,  that  we  may  be  helped 
by  God  to  do  them  well. 

Q.  Why  do  we  make  the  Cross  when  we  aro 
incited  to  do  any  evil  ? 

A.  We  ask  to  be  helped  not  to  do  evil. 

VII. 

Q.  Where  do  we  say  the  things  that  we  are  to 
do? 

A.  In  the  prayer:  "I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,'1 


14* 


162  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 

Q.  Leticn  o  etsagecl  kykelsotin  glo  kakyseuwe- 
nistumglie  skolkwelts? 

A.  Kakysgemenshum  glo  Kolinzotin  tessemilko 
kyspoos  nego  kaksgemenshum  kysinnuksliyloug, 
ctsageel  kampilc. 

Q.  A  nego  kakyseuwene  glo  skolkwelts  Sint- 
shaumin  ? 

A.  One,  nctli  Tkolinzotin  kytsotsils. 

Q.  Auwauwt  glo  skolkwelts  Sintshaumin. 

A.  Akysseuwenc  koetoont  stshaum. 

VIJI. 

Q.  Ko  nain  ky  elkonten  glo  i  tkaimpile  kykseu- 
wcnc  glo  skolkwelts  Kolinzotin  ? 

A.  Ta,  kakyksolkshitlcls  Tkolinzotin. 

Q.  Letien  o  m  etsageel  glo  kykelsot  um  kyksolk- 
shitlils  Tkolinzotin  ? 

A.  Kakystshauwi  kakyskomen  Sacreincnts. 

Q.  Stein  glo  shiumlgest  tel  essia  nstshaumin  1 

A.  Sliy  tky  jilemigom  Jesus  Christ  kyinyellils. 

Q.  Auwnt  glo  shy  ntshamnin. 

A.  Kyleuw  Istittshemaskyt,  etc. 

Q.  Stem  glo  ksesselils  ntshaumin  glo  kakyse- 
mium  ? 

A.  Sinkintistis  1'ange,  tshy  kyskolkwelstum  glo 
*tetshemish  Maly,  skois  Jesus  Christ. 

Q.  Auwt  glo  sinkuitistis  Fange. 

A.  Tshinkuitis  Maly,  etc. 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  163 

Q.  How  must  we  act  to  do  as  this  says  ? 

A.  We  must  love  God  with  all  our  heart,  and 
\ve  must  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves. 

Q.  Must  we  also  do  what  the  Church  says? 

A.  Yes,  because  God  tells  us  so. 
Q.  Name  what  the  Church  says. 
A.  Hear  the  great  prayer. 

VIII. 

Q.  Are  we  able  alone  (of  ourselves)  to  do  what 
God  commands  ? 

A.  No,  we  must  be  helped  by  God. 

Q.  What  must  we  do  to  be  helped  by  God  ? 

A.  We  must  pray  and  receive  the  Sacraments. 

Q.  Which  is  the  best  among  all  prayers  ? 

A.  That  which  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  teaches  us. 

Q.  Recite  that  prayer. 

A.  Our  Father  in  heaven,  <fec. 

Q.  What  is  the  second  prayer  which  we  must 
know  ? 

A.  The  salutation  of  the  angel,  and  in  it  we  speak 
to  the  Virgin  Mary,  mother  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Q.  Recite  the  angelic  salutation. 

A.  I  salute  thee  (i.  c.,  Hail),  Mary,  &c. 


164  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 

IX. 

Q.  Stem  glo  tyje  ? 

A.  Tyje,  glo  ta  kyseuwenemtum  glo  skolkwclts 
Kolinzotin. 

Q.  Kwinish  estugt5gulum  glo  tyje? 

A.  Esseltoleg:  inko  glo  tyje  Ikyspoos,  estoko  i 
kykolil  o  glo  inkoleg  tkampile  o  kykwentum. 

Q.  Stem  glo  tyje  Ikyspoos  estoko  i  kykolil  ? 

A.  Shy  glo  kwyst  tyje  kyleuw  Adam  gul  ta 
seu wene mis  Kolinzotin. 

Q.  Pistem  tkampile  in  ky  kwentum  glo  tyje  ? 

A.  Ne  kystikkitsog  ta  kyseuwenemintum  glo 
Kolinzotin. 

Q.  Kwintsoleg  estugtegulem  glo  tyje,  kykwestum 
tkampile  ? 

A.  Essclloleg,  inko  ntliltien,  inko  tarn  ntliltien. 

Q.  Stem  glo  ntliltien  tyje  ? 

A.  Gulshy  o  kygwellils  Tkykolinzotin,  n^gS 
okyshimgelils  Tkykolinzotin,  nfigo  tshy  kysgwienlila 
lessoliep. 

Q.  Gul  kwinish  ntliltien  tyje  m  kygou  tssoliep  ? 

A.  Gul  inko,  ne  ta  kyelkolgwelils  um  kytlil. 

Q.  Stem  glo,  tarn  ntliltien,  tyje  ? 

A.  Tshy  o  geel,  ta  kysolkshitlils  Tkykolinzotin. 

Q.  Lkwinshsoleg  o  kyskwestum  glo  tyje  ? 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  165 

I 

IX. 

Q.  What  is  evil  (sin)  ? 
A.  It  is  evil  not  to  do  what  God  says. 

Q.  How  many  kinds  of  evil  are  there? 

A.  Two;  one  (original  sin)  is  in  our  hearts  when 
we  are  born,  one  that  we  do  ourselves. 

Q.  What  is  the  evil  that  is  in  our  heart  when 
we  are  born  ? 

A.  That  which  Adam  our  Father  took  because 
he  did  not  do  what  God  said. 

Q.  When  do  we  ourselves  do  evil  ? 

A.  When  of  our  own  accord  we  do  not  hear 
God. 

Q.  Of  how  many  kinds  is  the  evil  we  do  our 
selves  ? 

A.  Of  two  kinds,  one  giving-  death,  one  not  giving 
death.- 

Q.  What  is  the  evil  giving  death  ? 

A.  For  this  we  are  rejected  by  God,  we  are  ene 
mies  of  God,  he  casts  us  away  into  hell. 

Q.  For  how  many  mortal  sins  shall  we  go  to  hell  ? 
A.  For  one,  if  it  is  not  forgiven  before  we  die. 
Q.  What  is  the  sin  not  giving  death  ? 
A.  That  which  makes  us  to  be  less  assisted  by 
God. 

Q.  In  how  many  ways  do  we  do  evil  ? 


106.  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 

A.  Lsilkstoleg :  tky  inpoostin,  tky  inkomtsintin, 

tky  inkolkweltin,  tky  skeltitsb,  tky  sinnouwilsemen. 

Q.  Kwinrsh  glo  essinshij'tsin  tyje  ? 

A.  Sispel :  sinsliiiitsemissotin,  siyokwe,  tshe-tshet 
tyje,  intshegoutleslin,  sintcllane,  snaiemils,  snowylis. 


Q.  Stem  glo  Sacrcment  ? 

A..  Sacrements  Jesus  Christ  tskolist  etsageel 
maliemmisten  Ikysingappcus. 

Q.  Kwinish  glo  Sacrements? 

A.  Sispel :  Bapteme,  Injojotillistin,  Eucharistie, 
Sinnemipemist,  Sacrcracnt  Lessemiogti,  Sinkwail- 
okstin,  Singonnogwcus. 

Q.  Stem  glo  Bapteme? 

A.  Tshy  o  kykolgwellis  glo  tyje,  Ikyspoos  o 
cstoko  o  kykolis.  Nego  kyschousigultlils  Tkolinzo- 
tin .  nego  Tsinshaumin. 

Q.  Stem  glo  Injojotillistin  ? 

A.  Tshy  o  kygwilsils  Saint  Pagtpagt,  kysolkshi- 
tlils  kakgesti  shousigults  Kolinzotin. 

Q.  Stem  Encharistie? 

A.  Eucharistie  shy  onego  skeltits,  singols,  singap- 
peus  kyjilemigom  Jesus  Christ,  je  letsageel  ctsgwako. 

Q.  Stem  glo  Sinnemipemist? 
A.  Tshy  kyelkolgwelils  glo  tyje  kyskwcstum  tel 
kywisle  bapteme  lils. 

Q.  Stem  Sacremcnt  glo  Lessemiogti  ? 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  107 

A.  In  five  ways :  in  our  heart,  in  desire,  in 
speech,  in  body,  by  sloth. 

Q.  How  many  sovereign  (deadly)  sins  are  there  ? 

A.  Seven :  pride,  avarice,  the  foul  sin,  anger, 
gluttony,  envy,  sloth. 


Q.  What  is  a  Sacrament? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  instituted  the  Sacraments  as 
medicines  of  the  soul. 

Q.  How  many  Sacraments  are  there  ? 

A.  Seven  :  Baptism,  Confirmation,  the  Eucharist, 
Confession,  the  Sacrament  of  those  grievously  sick, 
Order,  Matrimony. 

Q.  What  is  Baptism? 

A.  By  this  is  remitted  the  sin  that  is  in  our 
heart  when  we  arc  born.  By  it  we  are  made  chil 
dren  of  God  and  of  the  Church. 

Q.  What  is  Confirmation  ? 

A.  By  it  is  given  to  us  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  are 
helped  to  be  good  children  of  God. 

Q.  What  is  the  Eucharist  ? 

A.  The  Eucharist,  truly  the  body,  blood,  soul  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  although  as  it  were  under 
flour. 

Q.  What  is  Confession  ? 

A.  By  it  are  remitted  the  sins  which  we  have 
committed  since  we  were  baptized. 

Q.  What  is  Extreme  Unction  ? 


168  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 

A.  Tshy  o  essolkshitum  glo  essemiogti  skollits  o 
singappeus. 

Q.  Stem  glo  Sinkwailokstin  ? 

A.  Tshy  o  eskolil  akkelinnemitsinsolis  Jesus 
Christ. 

Q.  Stem  glo  Singonnogweus  ? 

A.  Tshy  o  eskolstum  aktshissinnewego  glo  skal- 
tcmig  o  semeem  etsageel  schousigults  Kolinzotin. 

XI. 

Q.  Stem  glo  Sinncmipemist  ? 
.A.  Sinneinipemist  glo  kysglakommisten  essia  glo 
tyje  kyskwen  Ikwailaks  kakykelkolgwellils. 
Q.  Etien  o  etsageel  um  gest  kymipemish  ? 
A.  1.  Kak'sinkolkolsinsotum  glo  tyje  kyskwen. 

2.  Kakyspoposensh. 

3.  Kakstsogschitum  ta  kakelkwentum  glo  tyje. 

4.  Kaksglakornmisten    glo    tyje ;    ta   kakeppel 
\v6kwintum. 

Q.  Etien  glo  tyje  glo  kyksinkolkolinsotum  ? 

A.  Glo  tyje  kyskwen  tky  impoostis,  tky  inkamsin- 
lin,  tky  inkolkwcntcn,  tky  skeltils,  tky  snonyllis : 
kyksmkolkolsinsotum  glo  skolkwclts  Kolinzotin  n6go 
Sintshaumin. 

Q.  Agest  glo  sinnemipemists  glo  tagest  essin- 
kolkolsintotums  ? 

A.  Ta. 

Q.  Agest  glo  sinnemipemists  glo  ess£w£kwest 
intliltien  tyje  ? 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  169 

A.  It  helps  those  grievously  sick  in  soul  and 
body. 

Q.  What  is  Order  (the  making  of  Black  Gowns)  ? 

A.  Thereby  one  becomes  a  minister  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

Q.  What  is  Matrimony  ? 

A.  This  unites  a  man  and  woman  as  children  of 
God. 

XL 

Q.  What  is  Confession  ? 

A.  We  manifest  all  evil  $eeds  to  the  priest  to  be 
remitted. 

Q.  How  shall  we  confess  well  ? 

A.  1.  Our  bad  deeds  are  to  be  recalled  to  mind. 

2.  We  must  repent. 

3.  We  must  resolve  not  to  do  evil  any  more. 

4.  We  must  manifest  our  sins,  we  must  conceal 
none. 

Q.  What  evil  must  we  call  to  mind  ? 

A.  Evil  done  in  our  heart,  in  desire,  speech, 
body,  by  sloth  :  we  must  be  mindful  of  the  com 
mands  of  God  and  of  the  Church. 

Q.  Does  one  confess  well  who  does  not  call  to 
mind  ? 

A.  No. 

Q.  Boes  one  confess  well  who  conceals  a  mortal 
sin? 

15 


170  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 

A.  Ta,  stittegwintes  glo  tie  skwys  tyje. 

Q.  Leticn  in  kysagelum  glo  kaksemipemist  ? 
A.  1.  Kakyssensilloggwe'pi. 

2.  Mkakstakketakkens  sout,  um  kytsontum  lavin  : 
Illeuw  ko  tshauwst  netli  kwen  tyje. 

3.  Kwemt  ky  rayeltum  glo  Ishy  o  etsageel  glo 
kys  kwen  glo  tyje. 

Q.  Letien  m  kysagelum  glo  ncky  \vissemyeltum 
glo  tyje  ? 

A.  1.  Kakyspopoosentsh. 

2.  Kakysseuwenem  glo  tkwenloks  kytsotlils.    ' 

3.  Ta  kyks  stegulumstum  glo  neky  seuwenum- 
tlils. 

Q.  Letien  m  kysagelum  ne  kywissemipemist  ? 
A.  1.  Kakselemtem  glo  Kolinzotin. 
2.  Kakysauwauwin  ntshaurain,  kystsotlils  tkwai- 
loks. 

XII. 

Q.  Stem  glo  Sinkytsinum  ? 

A.    Sinkytsinum   kykwentum    glo    skeltits,   glo 
singols,  glo  singappeus  Jesus  Christ  kyjilemigom. 
Q.  Akaky  skamtsinum  glo  Tsinkytsinum  ? 
A.  One,  gul  kootont  skolis  Ikampile. 
Q.  Stem  glo  skolis  Sinkytsinum? 
A.  1.  Kys  clousils  Ljesus  Christ. 

2.  Tshy  o  kykollis  geel  taksjojot  kyspoos  Ityje. 

3.  Telsi  kyksgestilisshy. 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  171 

A.  No,  he  adds  another  sin  to  those   already 
committed. 

Q.  How  must  we  confess  ? 
'A.  1.  We  kneel  down. 

2.  We  make  the  sign   of  the  Cross,  and  say : 
"Father,  pray  for  me,  because  I  have  done  evil." 

3.  Then  we  manifest  how  we  have  done  evil 
things. 

Q.  How  must  we  behave  after  we  manifest  our 
sins  ? 

A.  1 .  We  must  be  sad. 

2.  We  must  listen  to  what  is  said  by  the  priest. 

3.  -We  must  not  change  any  thing  if  we  are 
questioned. 

Q.  How  must  we  do  after  confession  ? 
A.  1.  We  must  return  thanks  to  God. 
2.    By   reciting   the   prayers   which   the   priest 
told  us. 

XII. 

Q.  What  is  Communion  ? 

A.  In  Communion  we  receive  the  body,  blood, 
and  soul  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Q.  Must  we  desire  to  receive  Communion  ? 
A.  Yes,  on  account  of  its  great  effects  in  us. 
Q.  What  are  the  effects  of  Communion  ? 
A.  1.  We  are  united  with  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  We  become  less  strong  in  evil. 

3.  Hence  we  are  made  better. 


172  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 

4.  Telsi  koutenliles  kyinnemousseltin  Ikykel  in- 
gwilgwiltin. 

Q.  Lcticn  m  etsageel  um  gest  ky  mkytsinum  ? 
A.  Mous.     1.  Gest  kakssewissemepsmist. 

2.  Tel  sieuwsum  skoukwets  m  hoi  kakisse  illis, 
hoi  m  kyksoust. 

3.  Tessemilko  kyspoos  kakysposeminum  glo  Jesus 
Christ. 

4.  Ne"go  tky  skeltils  kyksglakomin  gloskoutont 
Jesus  Christ. 

Q.  Letien  glo  tyje  skwys  glo  ntliltien  tyje  Ispoos 
o  inkytsmum  ? 

A.  Essenshiitsin  tyje  :  gwitsshummis  Jesus  Christ 
letsgwelemin. 

Q.  Stem  tglo  elg  kakskolum  glo  tsi  autsi  kysin- 
kytsinum  ? 

A.  1.  Kykskamsinum  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  Kyksauwauwntshaumin  noningwenetin,  inne- 
monsselstin,  ingamenshe'listin,  popoossenstin. 

Q.  Letien  um  kytsageel  glo  kvvemt  kyksgwitsils 
Jesus  Christ  skeltits  ? 

A.  1.  Kytlettshumstum  ky  tigoutst. 

2.  Ky  insippesummesum. 

3.  Ky  kanmintem. 

Q.  Letien  um  kytsageel  ne  kywisinkytsinum  ? 
A.  1.  Kykselentem  glo  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  Tessemilko   kyspoos,  kakysposiminum   Jesus 
Christ. 

3.  Kyksgalitilglum,  glo  kyssigapetsinuin. 


INDIAN    CATECHISM.  173 

4.  Hope  of  eternal  life  is  increased. 

Q.  How  shall  we  communicate  well  ? 
A.  1.  We  must  have  confessed  well.. 

2.  From  midnight  we  cannot  eat  or  drink. 

3.  We  must  with  our  whole  heart  think  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

4.  Even  exteriorly  we  must  show  how  great  Jesus 
Christ  is. 

Q.  What  sin  does  he  commit  who  has  a  mortal 
sin  in  his  heart  and  receives  ? 

A.  The  greatest  sin,  he  rejects  Jesus  Christ  for 
the  devil. 

Q.  What  more  should  we  do  before  Commu 
nion? 

A.  1.  We  should  desire  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  WTe  should  recite  acts  of  faith,  hope,  charity, 
and  contrition. 

Q.  How  should  we  act  at  the  moment  when  the 
body  of  Jesus  Christ  is  given  to  us? 

A.  1.  We  put  out  the  tongue. 

2.  W"e  cast  down  our  eyes. 

3.  W^e  swallow  it. 

Q.  What  must  we  do  after  Communion  ? 
A.  1.  We  thank  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  We  must  think  of  Jesus  Christ  with  all  our 
hearts. 

3.  We  ask  for  what  we  need. 

15* 


1*74  INDIAN    CATECHISM. 

4.  Um  kysauwauwstum  ntshaumin  noningwene- 
lin,  mnemotisselstin,  ngamenshelistin. 

Q.  Letien  um  etsageel  glo  shy  schalgalt  o  kysin- 
kytsinum  ?  . 

A.  1.  Kakysiskuttoleminnm  glo  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  Kakystilien  glo  kykeltsotin. 


FINIB. 


INDIAN    OATKCHISM.  175 

4.  We  recite    the    prayers    of  faith,   hope,   and 
charity. 

Q.  How  in  ust   we  act  on   the  day  we  receive 
Communion  ? 

4.  1.  We  must  remember  Jesus  Christ. 
2.  We  must  watch  over  our  actions. 


THE    END. 


